The Bank of England launched a consultation on May 18 to extend settlement hours for its RTGS and CHAPS systems toward near-continuous operation. The move aims to align traditional infrastructure with tokenized finance and stablecoin markets. Proposals include weekend settlement and synchronization services for digital assets.
On May 18 the BoE opened formal consultation on lengthening hours for the Real-Time Gross Settlement system and CHAPS high-value payments network. The plans call for an extra settlement day on weekends and certain bank holidays, plus longer windows on existing days. No changes would occur before 2029, with fuller hours arriving no earlier than 2031.