Google Cloud’s head of Web3 technique used a LinkedIn publish to share new particulars on the corporate’s in-development layer-1 blockchain, the Google Cloud Common Ledger (GCUL).
Wealthy Widmann described the blockchain as the results of “years of R&D at Google,” designed to be credibly impartial and suitable with Python-based sensible contracts.
Based on Widmann, GCUL is supposed to function an open infrastructure layer for monetary establishments. “Tether received’t use Circle’s blockchain — and Adyen in all probability received’t use Stripe’s blockchain,” he stated, suggesting that Google’s community reported neutrality might assist broaden adoption.
Stripe and Circle are additionally betting on layer-1 blockchains. Circle lately unveiled Arc, an open community optimized for stablecoin finance, whereas Stripe is creating a stealth challenge code-named Tempo in partnership with crypto enterprise agency Paradigm.
Based on a chart shared by Widmann, whereas Stripe is leaning on its $1.4 trillion funds community and Circle is centering Arc on USDC, Google Common Ledger will probably be a “planet-scale” blockchain with billions of customers and bank-grade performance.
Google Cloud expects to publish extra technical particulars in regards to the blockchain “within the coming months,” Widmann stated.
Google Cloud has been increasing into blockchain expertise since not less than 2018, when it added Bitcoin knowledge to its Large Question warehouse and later prolonged help to Ethereum and greater than a dozen different networks.
The push accelerated in 2022 with the launch of a devoted Web3 division, which has since led partnerships with corporations like Coinbase, Polygon and Solana.
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Google Cloud checks Common Ledger with CME
The Chicago Mercantile Trade (CME) Group is at present working with Google Cloud to check the Common Ledger for tokenization and funds.
The collaboration was disclosed in March, when the businesses introduced a pilot to check tokenized asset settlement and wholesale cost programs — although the precise property weren’t revealed, and full market participant trials are set to start in 2026.
On the time, CME chairman and CEO Terry Duffy stated the Common Ledger might “ship important efficiencies for collateral, margin, settlement and price funds because the world strikes towards 24/7 buying and selling.”
By securing a pilot with CME, which posted file income of $1.7 billion in Q2 2025 on common day by day volumes of 30.2 million contracts, Google is focusing on the core plumbing of worldwide finance.
The newest replace from Google about its L1 comes amid a broader wave of tech and fintech corporations creating their very own blockchains.
Plasma, a startup backed by Tether-linked traders, introduced in February plans to construct a settlement-focused layer-1 for USDt after elevating $24 million.
In June, Robinhood launched tokenized US shares and ETFs for its European prospects. The tokens are at present issued on Arbitrum, however the firm plans emigrate them to its personal native layer‑2 blockchain sooner or later.
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