The Bank told us that it will continue adapting RTGS to respond to developments in the wider payments landscape, to provide both the infrastructure and the technological platform to support innovation. It explained that payment technologies and settlement models are evolving, including emerging distributed ledger technologies, new approaches to cross-border settlement and the potential future use of digital currencies.65 Written evidence we received also emphasised that future settlement models may require so-called ‘atomic settlement’—which the Bank told us was a form of synchronisation—and that RTGS will need to be interoperable with emerging technologies to support such developments.66 The Bank told us that it is monitoring these developments and considering how RTGS can interoperate with different technologies and forms of payment.67 59 Qq 35, 43 and 45 60 Q35 61 C&AG’s Report, para 3.11 62 BOE, Extending RTGS and CHAPS settlement hours – early morning extension, 24 February 2026 63 Qq 30 and 37-38; BOE, Synchronisation Lab, updated 23 February 2026. 64 Hleb Buziuk (BOE0001) 65 Qq 36 and 51 66 Professor Daniel Broby (BOE0002) 67 Qq 36-40 16