Cryptocurrencies Supporting ISO 20022: Prominent Coins Surging in the New SWIFT Era

Cryptocurrencies compatible with the ISO 20022 financial messaging standard announced by SWIFT have gained rapid attention in recent years. Adoption of this new international standard is not just a technological evolution but also a key indicator of the practicality of digital assets, attracting significant interest from investors.

Why the ISO 20022 Standard Will Transform Financial Systems

ISO 20022 is a new financial messaging standard developed by SWIFT to unify information exchanges between financial institutions worldwide. It is set to replace the current SWIFT system, with a phased migration starting in 2022 and full implementation across all financial institutions expected by 2025.

By adopting this standard, seamless communication between different financial systems will become possible, making international transfers more efficient. SWIFT has supported global interbank settlements for over 50 years, but transitioning to ISO 20022 marks a major shift toward the next era.

Limited Number of ISO 20022-Compatible Cryptocurrencies

The two most prominent cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum, do not yet support the ISO 20022 standard. Since their launches in 2009 and 2015 respectively, they predate the standard’s announcement, making retrofitting difficult.

Meanwhile, the number of cryptocurrencies supporting ISO 20022 is surprisingly limited. Including Ripple’s XRP (launched in 2012), the decentralized spin-off Stellar (XLM), Cardano (ADA), Hedera (HBAR), Algorand (ALGO), Quant (QNT), as well as IOTA and XDC, there are only eight recognized ISO 20022-compatible currencies worldwide.

XRP: Leading Candidate Among ISO 20022-Compatible Coins

Ripple’s XRP is the most well-known and largest by market cap among ISO 20022-compatible cryptocurrencies. In October 2024, XRP remained below $1, but following political changes, it surged sharply. Within a few months, it surpassed $1, then entered the $2 range, and continued to reach new highs in the $3 range.

By early 2025, XRP broke the $3 mark for the first time in seven years, approaching nearly $3.20. This remarkable rise is often attributed to its structural advantage of compliance with ISO 20022.

Interestingly, XRP’s all-time high was $3.80 in January 2018. However, that peak was driven by a speculative bubble that increased its value by over 1,400% in just one month, followed by a bear market that saw it plummet below $0.20.

ADA (Cardano): Steady Recovery Trend

Cardano’s ADA, the second-largest ISO 20022-compatible coin by market cap, has shown steady movement. In October 2024, ADA was below $0.40 but rose above $1.20 after Trump’s victory.

However, its momentum is less vigorous than XRP’s, and its rise in 2025 has been more subdued. It remains well below its all-time high of $3.10 set in 2021, currently slightly above its 2018 peak. The impact of ISO 20022 on ADA has yet to be as pronounced as on XRP.

XLM and HBAR: Spin-offs and Emerging Players

Stellar (XLM), a spin-off from Ripple, tends to follow similar price patterns to XRP. Even during the SEC dispute at the end of 2020, XLM remained relatively resilient. It hit over $0.90 in 2021 but fell below $0.10 by October 2024. After Trump’s victory, it recovered above $0.50 and remains steady.

Hedera (HBAR), launched in 2019, is a relatively new project. After reaching a peak in 2021, it experienced little growth until late 2024, when it surged close to $0.36. It then retraced to around $0.25, experiencing a similar upward trend as XRP.

ALGO (Algorand) and IOTA: Signs of Recovery Amid Difficult Markets

Algorand (ALGO) and IOTA have faced particularly tough market conditions. ALGO’s current price is over 85% below its all-time high, and IOTA has fallen more than 90%.

However, both show signs of recovery as 2025 approaches. ALGO has rebounded from around $0.10 to about $0.50, and IOTA from roughly $0.10 to over $0.40. Still, they remain far from their previous peaks of $3.20 (ALGO, 2019) and $5.70 (IOTA, December 2017).

QNT and XDC: Divergent Paths

Quant (QNT) and XDC have shown different market performances. QNT has only fallen 72% from its peak, while XDC’s decline is limited to about 30%, indicating relative resilience.

In October 2024, QNT was in a weak market but surged dramatically after Trump’s victory, jumping from around $56 to over $165 between November and December. It has since retraced below $120.

XDC also experienced notable growth from late 2024 into 2025, rising from the low three-cent range to over 13 cents, maintaining growth throughout 2025.

Outlook for ISO 20022-Compatible Cryptocurrencies After 2025

Supporting the ISO 20022 standard provides these cryptocurrencies with structural advantages. As SWIFT’s migration accelerates after 2025, investment interest in compliant cryptocurrencies is expected to increase further.

However, market movements are influenced by overall sentiment, project progress, regulatory environments, and other factors. While ISO 20022 support is a key element, long-term investment decisions should also consider the fundamental value of each project.