Regulated Layer One (RL1) has officially launched, marking another step in Europe’s move toward institutional blockchain adoption. The new network brings together some of the region’s largest financial institutions under a shared blockchain infrastructure for regulated finance.

RL1 Launches With 10 Founding Financial Institutions

RL1 opened as a European Cooperative Society (SCE) headquartered in Luxembourg on July 28. Its initial members are ABN AMRO, DekaBank, DZ BANK, Chartered Investment, Cecabank, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, LBBW, Natixis CIB, SC Ventures and Seturion.

The network uses a cooperative governance model rather than a privately controlled structure. Each member has one equal vote, and participating institutions can help shape network development while sharing the infrastructure. That structure is meant to give regulated institutions a common operating base without forcing them into a single-bank platform model, which has often slowed broader coordination in tokenization projects.

Henning Vollbehr, former SWIAT Managing Director, will lead RL1’s expansion in the regulated financial sector in Europe as Managing Director of RL1.

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Built on Infrastructure Already Used in Production

RL1 is not a brand-new technology stack. The blockchain is based on SWIAT’s distributed ledger technology, which has been developed and operating in real production for about three years.

According to the project, the underlying infrastructure has already completed more than 50 institutional transactions with a combined value of more than €700 million, or around $808 million.

The platform integrates with SWIAT’s existing applications, allowing financial institutions to issue tokenized bonds, maintain regulated digital securities registries and provide other blockchain-based financial services without rebuilding their technology infrastructure.

The cooperative also plans to broaden its institutional offerings, including tokenized money, digital currency bonds, collateral management, smart derivatives and next-generation settlement services. Because RL1 is starting from an existing production base rather than an early-stage pilot, its rollout is tied to infrastructure already used for regulated transactions rather than a test network still proving core functionality.

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A Shared Infrastructure for Europe’s Tokenization Push

RL1 said one of the key challenges in institutional blockchain adoption is fragmented infrastructure. The network aims to address that issue by giving banks access to a shared ledger that supports regulated transactions while meeting compliance and business-as-usual requirements.

The launch comes as European tokenization efforts continue to advance. Initiatives from the European Central Bank, along with the wider use of stablecoins, tokenized money market funds and digital securities, have increased demand for interoperable blockchain infrastructure that can serve regulated financial institutions. In that context, RL1 is entering a market where banks and market infrastructure providers are increasingly focused on systems that can connect tokenized assets with existing regulatory and operational frameworks.

RL1 said the network remains open to additional financial institutions, and discussions are already underway with several European banks, including NatWest. Development banks KfW and L-Bank will continue supporting the initiative during its next phase of expansion.

RL1’s stated goal is to create a shared blockchain environment that allows Europe’s financial sector to move from individual pilot projects to high-volume, blockchain-based financial assetization.