Citi Forecasts Stablecoins and AI as Catalysts for Post-Trade Transformation

The global post-trade industry stands on the brink of a seismic shift, with digital assets and artificial intelligence poised to redefine market infrastructure. Citi's latest research reveals that tokenization and AI-driven automation are accelerating efficiency gains across trade processing.

Bank-issued stablecoins emerge as a critical enabler, expected to facilitate 10% of market turnover through tokenized assets by 2030. Asia-Pacific leads this charge, buoyed by robust crypto retail participation and progressive regulatory frameworks.

Automation dominates institutional priorities, with 86% of surveyed firms actively testing AI for client onboarding. The impending T+1 settlement mandate further intensifies the focus on speed, as 57% of organizations pilot AI solutions specifically for post-trade operations.