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- Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE) goes live as the orchestration layer driving onchain finance.
- UBS completes the first-ever end-to-end tokenized fund workflow using the Chainlink DTA standard.
- Chainlink introduces Confidential Compute for private smart contracts on any blockchain.
Day one of SmartCon 2025 set a new benchmark for blockchain innovation. Chainlink announced major product launches that signal the next phase in institutional adoption of Web3. The conference, which brings together global financial leaders, regulators, and blockchain innovators, focused on building a unified financial system powered by decentralized technology.
The biggest announcement came with the launch of the Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE). This new orchestration layer simplifies how institutions build, connect, and operate smart contracts across multiple blockchains. CRE enables compliance-ready and privacy-preserving applications that interact with both onchain and traditional financial systems.
Major institutions are already testing CRE’s potential. UBS, J.P. Morgan, and Mastercard are using it for tokenized fund workflows, cross-chain payments, and Delivery vs. Payment (DvP) settlements.
Google Cloud and AWS are also collaborating with Chainlink to integrate CRE into their cloud services. These early integrations show that CRE is not just a new protocol, it’s the foundation for large-scale onchain finance.
Confidential Compute Unlocks Privacy for Smart Contracts
Chainlink also introduced Confidential Compute, a breakthrough that brings privacy to blockchain transactions. It allows smart contracts to operate securely with sensitive financial data while keeping business logic and proprietary information hidden.
This development addresses one of the largest barriers to institutional blockchain adoption, data confidentiality. Confidential Compute enables private tokenization, cross-chain interoperability, and secure data distribution. It also supports compliance and identity verification without exposing personal or institutional data.
By integrating Confidential Compute into the Chainlink Runtime Environment, every transaction, from data input to final settlement, can now be executed with complete privacy. The service will enter early access in 2026, marking a major milestone in blockchain infrastructure.
Chainlink Expands ACE Partner Network with 20+ Major Institutions
Another highlight was the expansion of the Chainlink Automated Compliance Engine (ACE) partner ecosystem. Over 20 partners, including Chainalysis, Fidelity International, and WisdomTree, are now using ACE to enforce real-time compliance, risk monitoring, and identity verification across tokenized markets.
ACE’s growing network is creating the standard framework for compliance in onchain finance. It ensures that institutional activity remains secure, regulated, and transparent, while maintaining the efficiency and automation of blockchain.
SmartCon 2025 confirmed Chainlink’s leadership in bridging the traditional finance and blockchain worlds. With CRE, Confidential Compute, and ACE, Chainlink is shaping a world where every market, asset, and institution can operate seamlessly onchain.
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