IBM has rolled out two new beta features for Digital Asset Haven, the company's digital asset platform built for banks and other regulated institutions. The additions include a messaging adapter that connects clients to Swift's blockchain-based shared ledger and an on-premises deployment option that lets institutions run the platform inside their own data centers.

The announcement came Thursday, the same day IBM shares fell 2%. The stock closed at $227.68, down $5.08, as the company unveiled the two beta additions.

A Direct Line to Swift's Blockchain Ledger

Digital Asset Haven now includes a messaging adapter that connects institutional clients directly to Swift's blockchain-based shared ledger. Swift, the global financial messaging cooperative, operates a network linking 12,500 financial institutions across more than 200 markets.

The adapter lets institutions handle tokenized deposit transactions using ISO 20022, the standard format already used for global financial messaging. Tokenized deposits are blockchain representations of commercial bank deposits, which is why banks can move them over a shared ledger using messaging formats their operations teams already know. According to IBM, that means banks can skip building blockchain-specific workflows and instead rely on the systems they already use for compliance and payments.

Swift's Ledger Already Has Bank Backing

Swift's shared ledger was announced at Sibos 2025, the cooperative's annual banking industry conference, and went from concept to operational in nine months. More than 40 financial institutions helped develop it, and the ledger launched in July with 17 banks in its first pilot group. That list includes HSBC, Citi, BNP Paribas, UBS and Standard Chartered.

HSBC and Standard Chartered have already gone further than testing. The two banks completed the first live cross-border transaction on the ledger in August.

IBM said institutions piloting the program have used Digital Asset Haven to test tokenized deposit transactions on Swift's ledger.

On-Premises Option Targets Data Privacy

Alongside the Swift connection, IBM introduced a beta on-premises deployment for Digital Asset Haven. Banks can now run the platform inside their own data centers rather than depending on public cloud infrastructure.

The on-premises version runs on IBM Z, the company's mainframe line, and LinuxONE systems, and uses IBM Crypto Express hardware security modules, dedicated hardware designed to generate and protect cryptographic keys. IBM says configurations are built for 99.999999% availability based on internal testing.

The new option keeps the same architecture, APIs and workflows as IBM's existing SaaS and hybrid versions, which the company said should make switching between deployment types simpler for clients already using the platform.

Digital Asset Haven first launched in October 2025 with SaaS and hybrid options only. Thursday's announcement fills the gap for institutions that want digital asset management without any public cloud exposure, whether because of data-residency requirements or internal control policies.

A Broader Shift in Banking Infrastructure

Tom McPherson, general manager of IBM Z and LinuxONE, framed the update as part of a bigger shift happening across banking.

"The financial services industry is entering a new era where tokenized and traditional assets will need to move side by side," he said.

IBM also pointed to J.P. Morgan Payments data showing that 93% of financial institutions are currently modernizing their payments infrastructure. The company cited that backdrop as part of the context for introducing the update now.

Financial institutions interested in trying the on-premises beta can join a waitlist. IBM has not given a timeline for when the on-premises option might move from beta to general availability.