The blockchain frameworks set to enhance fintech development in 2026

• Digital capital markets continue to emerge with the support of evolving blockchain frameworks, combined with focused securities, providing added efficiency.
• In 2025, an estimated 560 million people worldwide used blockchain or related technologies, with 87% of financial institutions utilizing blockchain to reduce costs and friction in their back-end operations.

Blockchain frameworks have been established as the foundation technology for fintechs to enhance their offerings, promoting decentralization, security, and scalability. In 2026, developers are seeking the best frameworks to create, test, develop, and deploy blockchain applications as digital capital markets continue to evolve and grow.

In 2025, an estimated 560 million people worldwide used blockchain or related technologies, with 87 per cent of financial institutions utilizing blockchain to reduce costs and friction in their back-end operations.

Major financial institutions are advancing blockchain-based payment systems. JPMorgan, through its blockchain unit Kinexys, is expanding blockchain payment solutions for partner banks and corporates, while Bank of America, Citigroup, and HSBC are participating in SWIFT-led blockchain payment and settlement pilots.

Osama Bari, Chief Technology Officer at D24 Fintech, said: “As fintechs move into 2026, they must reflect on the blockchain frameworks that have had the greatest impact on the installation of smart contracts and cryptocurrencies alongside decentralized applications and finance platforms.”

According to Bari, there are five main blockchain frameworks fintech leaders and their teams need to be aware of:

Corda blockchain frameworks

Developed by R3, Corda is an open-source framework designed to create finance dApps, healthcare insurance, and more.

“Corda has a unique architecture in comparison to other frameworks, as it is designed for the real world in the likes of regulated industries like banking and finance over just crypto,” Bari continued. Corda’s unique architecture enables advanced security and privacy, interoperability, scalability, and regulatory compliance, making it an ideal blockchain framework for the fintech industry. Financial institutions can conduct transactions while keeping data private and secure, making it a popular choice for work for big banks and fintechs.

“The framework also integrates well with existing systems and is actively being used in live enterprise projects to modernize infrastructures and reduce costs.”

EOSIO

EOSIO is an open-source, permissioned blockchain framework established in 2018 by Block.one, catering to public and private blockchain networks.

“The framework is known for being flexible and enterprise-friendly for supporting and building decentralized apps,” added Bari. “EOSIO is popular for cantering around a Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) consensus model that allows for an extended transaction rate. With EOSIO, fintechs can build private and public blockchain solutions with its architecture supporting reduced fee transactions, developer-friendly tools, and flexible permissions.

“The framework is very much still evolving; its performance, developer ecosystem, and focus on real-world use cases make it stand out amongst blockchain communities growing to over 6 million accounts globally.”

Hyperledger Fabric

The blockchain framework established by the Linux Foundation in 2017 under Hyperledger stands out as an open-source, permissioned, and private framework used by organizations that require privacy, permissioned access, and high control over their data.

Bari continued, “Hyperledger Fabric is a widely trusted framework that is known for enabling institutions to create private channels, define custom rules, and integrate easily with IT systems that are already in place. In recent years, the framework has received consistent support from major tech firms due to its focus on practical real-life blockchain adoption, with an estimated 9,535 developers using the framework.”

Ethereum

Introduced in 2015, Ethereum is the most adopted blockchain platform for building decentralized applications and smart apps, onboarding 16,000 new developers in 2025.

“The framework differs from others as it is publicly open and decentralized, meaning anyone can access applications created with the framework,” added Bari. “Ethereum continues to upgrade with the recent introduction of Ethereum 2.0, establishing it as a key driver for innovation in 2026 by bridging enterprise use and consumer-facing decentralized apps.

“Its Ethereum Virtual Machine has made it a popular choice for fintechs thanks to its ability to facilitate the seamless creation of decentralized applications. The framework hosts the most extensive distributed network and market share among all blockchains, with 3,000 active decentralized applications, and is used to build and develop decentralized exchanges, digital assets, and stablecoins.”

XRP Ledger

Lastly, we have the XRP Ledger, one of the most prominent frameworks available. The framework was intended to act as a global payment infrastructure when established by Chris Larsen, the CEO of Ripple, in 2012.

“XRP has continued to make waves since its inception with its focus on low-cost cross-border payments for fintechs, banks, and financial institutions,” continued Bari. “What makes XRP unique is that it is designed to transfer money between currencies instantly with reduced fees. We’ve continued to see Ripple partner with large financial institutions, using the XRP framework to streamline remittances, reduce reliance on legacy systems, and improve liquidity management.

“The framework processed millions of transactions a day in 2025, with a daily average of 450,000–1.8 million transactions from Q1-Q3, and will continue to have an extensive impact in 2026.”

“As it stands, blockchain frameworks are becoming the cornerstone for fintech innovation, helping applications achieve security, scalability, efficiency, and transparency. 2026 stands to be a vital year for blockchain and fintech developers, who must evaluate every framework and ensure that they align with their plan of action. Blockchain may still be in its infancy, but each framework hosts its own unique qualities, and fintechs will be left behind if they fail to join the blockchain race,” concluded Bari.

Read also: From banking to supply chains, here’s how blockchain is powering lives across Africa

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