In a landmark move for the digital trade-finance industry, XDC Ventures, the investment arm of the XDC Network, has announced the acquisition of Contour Network, the leading blockchain-based platform for digitized letters of credit (LCs). Originally backed by a consortium of global banks including HSBC, Standard Chartered, BNP Paribas, Citi, DBS, ING, Bangkok Bank, and CTBC Bank, Contour's revival under XDC Ventures marks a pivotal step in bridging traditional finance (TradFi) with Web3 innovations.
This acquisition bolsters XDC Network's standing as the premier Layer 1 blockchain for institutional cross-border trade finance and real world asset (RWA) tokenization, positioning it as a trusted Web3 powerhouse for banks, corporates, and regulators worldwide.
"By combining Contour’s global LC consortium with the XDC Network’s hybrid blockchain and Web3 ecosystem, we’re creating the most powerful institutional gateway for tokenized trade-finance and cross-border settlement," said Atul Khekade, co-founder of the XDC Network and XDC Ventures.
XDC Ventures has secured future investment commitments from leading funds to fuel Contour’s geographic expansion and drive adoption among banks and corporates. To scale the consortium while maintaining rigorous regulatory and compliance standards, XDC Ventures is inviting strategic investors with expertise in compliance, risk management, and global trade networks.
“XDC Network’s ecosystem and capabilities will enable us to expand to new markets faster and allow us to continuously innovate and deepen our trade finance product offerings to our clients,” said Parth Mahajan, market development lead for Contour.
The XDC Network’s ecosystem is supported by esteemed partners like SBI Japan, Deutsche Telecom, Circle, and integration with IMDA Singapore’s TradeTrust framework, enhancing institutional confidence.
Next Phase of Stable-Coin Lab and Growth Strategy
XDC Ventures will restructure Contour’s strategy, launching a Stable-Coin Lab to deepen institutional trade-finance integration. The lab will focus on:
- Building pilots with banks and corporates for regulated stable-coin issuance and settlement, offering hands-on experience under frameworks like the Genius Act.
- Leveraging Contour’s infrastructure for pilots that optimize treasury returns and working-capital efficiency.
- Developing functional APIs for stable-coin-based LC settlement, enabling seamless integration into existing systems and reducing processing from days to near real-time.
- Utilizing the XDC Network for enhanced programmability and real-world utility in trade-finance stable-coins.
Ritesh Kakkad, co-founder of XDC Network and XDC Ventures said, "Banks need settlement rails, treasury optimization, and compliance frameworks. We're building all three. We see Contour not only as a trade-finance network but as an enabler of compliant stable-coin use-cases that can deliver new efficiencies and revenue streams for banks and corporates".
XDC Network + Circle USDC Support
Contour will integrate the XDC Network as its settlement and tokenization backbone, enabling faster, lower-cost cross-border transactions. Circle’s recent support for USDC on XDC provides a regulated stable-coin for settlements, efficient on/off-ramps via global partners, and a bridge from LC documentation to real-time digital settlement.
Strengthening the Web3–TradFi Bridge
Contour has already slashed LC processing times from 5–10 days to hours for live trades in commodities and manufacturing. Paired with XDC Network, live since 2019 and a leader in EVM-compatible RWA tokenization, this union creates an institutional-grade platform for compliant tokenized settlements, improved liquidity, and accelerated cross-border trade.
Next Steps
Immediate priorities include establishing the Stable-Coin Lab, launching pilots with consortium members, rolling out API-based LC settlements on XDC, integrating XDC rails with Contour’s Corda workflows, collaborating with U.S., EU, GCC, and Asian regulators under the Genius Act, and expanding via strategic partnerships.
About XDC Ventures
XDC Ventures is the global investment and incubation arm of the XDC Network, dedicated to accelerating trade-finance digitization, RWA tokenization, stable-coin innovation, and capital-market transformation via Web3. For more details, visit www.xvc.tech.
About Contour Network
Contour Network is a Singapore-headquartered digital trade-finance platform that digitizes LCs and cross-border documentation. Backed by a consortium of leading global banks, Contour delivers production-grade solutions for speed, transparency, and trust in international trade. For more information, visit contour.network.
Media Contact
Rachna Baruah
rachna@xinfin.org
