On October 13, 2026, two infrastructure firms tried to change that reputation with a live test.
Lynq, the institutional settlement network operated by tZERO Securities, and The Better Money Company (TBMC), a stablecoin clearinghouse, completed a live proof-of-concept. TBMC converted a client’s assets held on Lynq into RLUSD, Ripple’s USD stablecoin, and the settlement wrapped up within minutes.
The test validated the first phase of the two companies’ collaboration.
What actually happened in the test
The mechanics are worth unpacking, because the speed came from how the workflow was built. Lynq provides what it describes as a pre-funded workflow. When funds are already positioned before a transaction starts, there is far less back-and-forth before the money can move.
In this case, the client’s assets were already sitting on Lynq. TBMC handled the conversion into RLUSD, and the settlement completed in minutes.
This was Phase 1. The companies framed it as proof that the first stage of their partnership works, not as a finished product rolling out to every client tomorrow.
Who Lynq and TBMC are
Lynq operates around the clock, 24/7, offering real-time transfers that are also interest-bearing. The network has signed on more than 30 institutional partners since it launched. Earlier in 2026, it reported assets surpassing $89 million.
Lynq has also added additional stablecoin liquidity partners and access to tokenized treasuries, both of which support its always-on operations.
TBMC’s clearinghouse model is designed to improve liquidity across different stablecoins, with the goal of 1:1 fungibility between them. The clearinghouse also promises a transparent and predictable settlement process. For custody, TBMC has partnered with BitGo.
The bigger backdrop
The collaboration sits inside a broader effort to rebuild institutional settlement rails for digital assets. That effort picked up after significant banking network closures in 2023 removed infrastructure that crypto firms had relied on.
A central goal of the partnership is bridging tokenized treasuries with stablecoin frameworks. Tokenized treasuries are government debt represented on a blockchain, and they pay yield. Stablecoins are built for moving dollars quickly. Connecting the two lets institutions potentially earn yield and move money without awkward handoffs in between.
What this means for institutions and the stablecoin market
A few caveats deserve attention. This was a proof-of-concept covering one phase, and Lynq’s reported asset base of over $89 million is still small next to the volumes moving through traditional settlement networks.
What to watch next is straightforward. Any announcement of a Phase 2, new stablecoins joining TBMC’s clearinghouse, or growth in Lynq’s partner count beyond 30 would signal whether this test turns into a durable piece of institutional infrastructure.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Kaye Quema. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.