The Future of Cross-Border Payments: Transformative Potential of Connecting Instant Payment Systems Across Regions

Delivered at the Singapore FinTech Festival, this session discussed the advancements and potential of Project Nexus, emphasising the role of central banks in developing next-generation financial market infrastructure (FMI). The panellists provided insights into the project's objectives, benefits, and challenges.

Key Themes and Takeaways

1. Central Banks as Catalysts for Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI)

• Central banks aim to ensure safety, inclusivity, and resilience in financial systems by:
  • Facilitating fair and open access for all market players (banks, non-banks, fintechs).
  • Building agile and flexible infrastructures to leverage rapidly evolving technology.
  • Promoting interoperability, both domestically and across borders, through regulatory harmonization and cost-efficient frameworks.
• Balance of Oversight and Innovation:
  • Regulatory frameworks must encourage innovation while ensuring safety.
  • Oversight should remain flexible to accommodate emerging technologies without slowing their deployment.

2. Public-Private Collaboration in Payments Innovation

• Central banks don’t crowd out the private sector but strike a balance between:
  • Inclusion and competition: Ensuring affordable access to services for all market segments.
  • Innovation and regulation: Partnering with private entities to develop foundational infrastructure like SingPass and instant payment rails.
• Example from Singapore:
  • Successful collaboration led to efficient e-payments systems, such as PayNow, which balances commercial viability and public utility.

3. Project Nexus: The Multilateral Advantage

• Objective: Aligns with the G20’s goals of reducing cost, improving speed, transparency, and access to cross-border payments.
• Unique Features:
  • A centralised switch architecture enables scalability: “Connect once, access all.”

• Starting with ASEAN 5 and India, with a future vision of global scalability.
  • Offers a viable alternative to the time-consuming bilateral linkage model.
  • Reduces remittance costs substantially. For instance, a 1% cost reduction saves Thailand alone $120 million annually.

4. Challenges and Success Factors for Nexus’ Global Ambition

• Key Challenges:
  • Network effects: Convincing stakeholders (FPSs, payment providers, and end users) to adopt Nexus.
  • Cost recovery: Designing a commercially viable pricing model to sustain the system.
  • Stakeholder engagement: Aligning incentives through active consultation and collaboration.
• Prerequisites for Global Expansion:
  • Governance: Blend public policy goals with private sector agility.
  • Pricing model: Balance affordability for users with financial viability for participants.
  • Entry standards: Allow room for smaller, innovative players without compromising high standards.

5. Risk Management in Cross-Border Payment Systems

• Fraud Prevention:
  • Enhancing real-time surveillance to detect and disrupt fraud and scams.
  • Establishing protocols for timely cross-border communication between central banks, financial institutions, and financial intelligence units.
• Future Steps:
  • Develop systems to recover funds quickly after fraud detection.
  • Strengthen international cooperation for real-time fraud response.

6. Bilateral vs. Multilateral Models

• Co-existence: Bilateral systems address immediate, high-priority corridors, while multilateral solutions like Nexus provide scalability and long-term benefits.
• Transition: Over time, Nexus could reduce redundancy as multilateral systems gain traction and become the dominant infrastructure.

7. Looking Ahead: Nexus in 10 Years

• Dr. Daranee Saeju:
  • Envisions cross-border remittances no longer being a problem due to competition and cost reduction.
• Leong Sing Chiong:
  • Expanded use cases for Nexus, including P2M payments and B2B flows.
  • Address interoperability challenges with jurisdictions lacking instant FAST payment systems.
  • Explore integration with digital assets and tokenized assets for atomic settlement.
• Ulrich Bindseil:
  • Critical mass of participants achieved by 2034, enabling Nexus to become a global success.

Conclusion

The future of cross-border payments lies in interconnectivity, scalability, and collaboration. Project Nexus embodies these principles, offering a pathway to more affordable, inclusive, and efficient cross-border payments. Success will require concerted efforts from central banks, private sector players, and international stakeholders to realize the transformative potential of linking instant payment systems globally.

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