Cari has joined the American Bankers Association's (ABA) Premier Partner Network, marking a strategic milestone in its efforts to modernize banking through tokenized deposits and digital money infrastructure. The announcement also reflects continued growth of the Cari Network, which now includes more than 30 participating banks and is designed to help regulated financial institutions deliver real-time, bank-issued digital money while maintaining governance, compliance, and customer trust.
By joining the ABA's Premier Partner Network, Cari will work closely with the banking association to educate financial institutions on the role of tokenized deposits and digital money. The Premier Partner designation recognizes organizations making a long-term commitment to advancing the banking industry and delivering value to ABA member institutions.
The collaboration reinforces Cari's objective of helping banks modernize payments, settlement, and deposit infrastructure while ensuring regulated financial institutions remain central to the evolving digital financial ecosystem.
Alongside the ABA partnership, Cari announced continued growth of its tokenized deposit network. SouthState Bank has joined as a Design Partner Bank, alongside Atlantic Union Bank, Bank of Vernon, ConnectOne Bank, FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha), Glacier Bank, MidFirst Bank, Raymond James Bank, Southwest Heritage Bank, and Washington Trust Bank.
The network now comprises more than 30 participating institutions, while an additional 40 banks are actively exploring participation, collectively representing more than US$10 trillion in assets.
Cari's infrastructure is designed to provide regulated banks with a compliant pathway for issuing tokenized deposits while maintaining governance within the banking system. Built on a permissioned Layer-2 blockchain anchored to Ethereum, the network enables participating institutions to control access, governance, and transaction activity while supporting:
The platform aims to combine blockchain efficiency with the trust, oversight, and regulatory protections associated with traditional banking.
Gene Ludwig, Founder and CEO of Cari, said: "Cari was founded on a simple belief: as money becomes increasingly digital, banks should continue to play the central role in issuing it, governing it, and serving the customers who rely on it. As an ABA Premier Partner, we look forward to working with banks across the country to help build the infrastructure that ensures bank-issued digital money remains secure, trusted, and broadly accessible."
Russell Davis, Executive Vice President, Member Experience, American Bankers Association, stated: "We're pleased to welcome Cari as an ABA Premier Partner and look forward to working together to help banks navigate the evolving digital payments landscape. As financial institutions continue to explore innovations like tokenized deposits and other emerging forms of digital money, partnerships with organizations like Cari provide our members with opportunities to learn about emerging technologies and how they can support the future of banking."
As financial institutions continue exploring blockchain-enabled payment infrastructure, tokenized deposits are emerging as a way to modernize settlement while keeping deposits within the regulated banking system. Cari's expanding network and collaboration with the ABA reflect increasing industry interest in digital money solutions that prioritize interoperability, governance, and regulatory compliance.
Cari's latest announcement highlights the growing momentum behind bank-issued digital money and tokenized deposits. By expanding its network and strengthening ties with the American Bankers Association, the company aims to provide financial institutions with the infrastructure needed to modernize payments while preserving the trusted role of regulated banks in the digital economy.
About Cari
The Cari Network is the first tokenized deposit network connecting chartered banks and decentralized finance on a shared ledger, delivering instant, 24/7/365 settlement without leaving the regulatory perimeter. Built on a permissioned Layer-2 blockchain anchored to Ethereum, it brings commercial deposits on-chain while preserving the safety and benefits of traditional bank money. The result is an interoperable payment rail that pairs blockchain speed and programmability with the trust and scale of the banking system. Led by banking, financial regulation, and digital asset experts—and co-developed and governed with banks—the Cari Network is powering the next shift of institutional money movement: one that's instant, trusted, and always-on.
About the American Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation's $25.1 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ over 2 million people, safeguard $19.7 trillion in deposits and extend $13.2 trillion in loans.
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