Crypto goes mainstream as SWIFT infrastructure shifts
Mario Stanic, founder and chief executive of home-grown investment insights firm Crypto Research Australia, says the latest move by SWIFT signals a shift in how digital assets are being integrated into the financial system.
'SWIFT's digital asset trials are a turning point – they're turning on the tap to global liquidity in ways we've never seen before,' says Stanic.
'For Australian investors and institutions, this means faster trades, borderless access, and a new era of interoperability. The question is no longer if digital assets will go mainstream, it's how fast you're ready to move.'
The trials aren't about coins or speculation – they're about the infrastructure itself.
'SWIFT doing this is kind of like the post office switching to email,' Stanic says.
'It's a big deal because it shows how money is changing behind the scenes. For Aussies, it's important to know that this isn't just 'crypto stuff' – it's about the tech our banks and super funds might soon be using.
'The better we understand it now, the better prepared we'll be when it becomes the new normal.'
That urgency is colliding with low levels of public confidence and widespread misunderstanding. Crypto scams remain common, regulations continue to evolve, and the explosion of hype-driven commentary on social media makes it difficult for newcomers to find credible information.
'Most investors aren't prepared,' Stanic says. 'They're still thinking in silos – stocks over here, crypto over there, cash in the middle. But with infrastructure like this going live, those lines blur fast. The investors who win will be the ones who understand how to position digital assets as part of a broader, informed strategy, not just a gamble on the next coin.'
His firm, one of several offering subscription-based research services to Australian retail and self-managed investors, says its core audience is looking for clarity, not hype.
'Social media is flooded with opinions. We deal in evidence,' Stanic says. 'Our platform is built to help investors block out the noise and focus on what actually matters – well-researched, practical insights that support long-term success.'
In recent years, institutional interest in crypto has surged. Major asset managers, including BlackRock and Fidelity, have launched or backed crypto funds, and central banks in countries including China, Singapore and Sweden are testing digital currencies.
Stanic says many Australians still hold misconceptions about crypto. 'The big one? That it's all high risk and hype. The reality is, behind the noise, crypto is evolving into serious infrastructure – from programmable money to digital securities,' he says.
But that doesn't mean every investor is expected to jump in. Regulators continue to warn about volatility, scams and speculative behaviour in the market. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has issued guidance urging people to understand the risks before engaging with digital assets.
That gap between mainstream headlines and practical understanding is what services like Stanic's aim to address. They offer reports, strategy sessions and portfolio reviews, but stop short of making recommendations or offering financial product advice.
'Informed users zoom out,' Stanic says. 'They educate themselves, they look for trends, not just price, and they think in years, not days. They use research to guide conviction. Speculators? They scroll, they follow noise, and they panic. One group builds wealth, the other burns it chasing quick wins.'
So what should investors do to get a better handle on the changing landscape?
'Focus on frameworks, not just forecasts,' says Stanic. 'Look into use cases, adoption curves, and regulatory updates. Read research from independent sources like CRA or similar platforms that prioritise risk-adjusted perspectives. Remember: the best investments often emerge when the noise dies down and fundamentals shine through.'
For some investors, the shift came after painful lessons. Dean Mellisinos, a property developer and investor based in Melbourne's southwest, says he turned to research services after a run of losses trying to ride crypto trends on his own.
'Honestly, I subscribed after losing money chasing coins,' Mellisinos says. 'I needed a way to reset and do things properly. It wasn't just about making more money – it was about avoiding losses.'
One of the biggest shifts, he says, came from learning how to manage his own behaviour. 'FOMO, panic selling, chasing pumps – I've done it all,' he says. 'CRA's research helped me step back and assess the market objectively. I learned how to think in probabilities, not predictions, and that made a huge difference in how I handled my portfolio.'
With new crypto trends appearing constantly – from meme coins to artificial intelligence tokens – Mellisinos says structured guidance helped him separate hype from substance.
'For example, when AI tokens started gaining traction, CRA was ahead of the curve. They not only identified the trend early, but also highlighted which projects had real tech and traction versus the pretenders.'
Whether crypto becomes as central to finance as email is to communication remains to be seen. But with SWIFT testing tokenised settlement, institutional adoption accelerating, and public infrastructure slowly catching up, the rails of finance are being quietly rewritten.
For Australians, that may not mean rushing to act. But it might mean taking the time to understand what's coming – and deciding who to listen to along the way.
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