XDC Network Strengthens Validator Ecosystem with BCW Group and stakeFi

XDC Network has welcomed BCW Group, a Hong Kong-based enterprise Web3, AI & Cloud infrastructure firm, and stakeFi, BCW’s institutional staking platform, as masternode validators on its layer-1 blockchain. The onboarding expands XDC’s institutional validator programme to include one of the most operationally active node operators in the Asia-Pacific region, as the network continues to build the infrastructure foundation for trade finance, cross-border payments, and real-world asset tokenization.

BCW Group and stakeFi together bring enterprise-grade node operations and institutional staking infrastructure to XDC’s validator set. BCW operates across more than 60 blockchain networks and holds Google Cloud Premier Partner status, with a managed services portfolio spanning AI-driven innovation, specializing in agentic payments (x402) and blockchain-native data pipelines. With nearly a decade of experience, they provide a robust stack including institutional staking via stakeFi, infrastructure as a service, whitelabel nodes for enterprises and developer tooling like APIs & RPCs.

The additions join a validator set that also includes SBI Holdings, Deutsche Telekom HashKey Cloud, Cumberland, GSR Markets, and Republic, each reflecting the growing appetite among regulated financial institutions and infrastructure operators to participate at the consensus layer of a blockchain built for institutional finance.

“Every institutional validator that joins XDC Network is a vote of confidence in what we are building,” said Ritesh Kakkad, Co-Founder, XDC Network. “These are not passive participants. They are enterprises staking capital and operational reputation on this protocol. That kind of commitment does not happen on a blockchain without a proven track record in regulated finance, and it is what makes XDC’s validator set unlike anything else in the layer-1 market today.”

Onchain validators play a structural role in XDC’s Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. Masternode operators confirm transactions, maintain network uptime, and form the trust infrastructure underpinning XDC’s financial applications across trade finance digitization and tokenized asset settlement. Each institutional operator that joins the validator set adds both technical resilience and market credibility to the network.

“The calibre of XDC’s validator set is a direct reflection of the network’s institutional relevance,” said Shanlong James Chen, Head of Asia, XDC Network. “The onboarding of BCW Group and stakeFi strengthens this narrative. When corporations that run mission-critical Web3 infrastructure become validators on XDC, it signals to the broader financial industry that this is a protocol built for long-term institutional adoption.”

BCW Group’s validator participation extends its existing enterprise staking capability to XDC’s payments and RWA settlement layer, giving institutional clients a compliant, non-custodial pathway to engage with one of the most operationally active enterprise blockchain networks in production.

“XDC is building an institutional-grade environment for payments, settlement, and RWA tokenization,” noted Brett Hornung, Head of Web3 Solutions of BCW Group and Chief Commercial Officer of stakeFi. “Joining XDC’s validator set was a natural choice for our business. XDC’s focus on institutions aligns well with our market-leading, enterprise-grade node infrastructure and staking platform.”

XDC Network says further validator announcements are expected as the protocol extends its institutional operator base across key financial centres.

About XDC Network

XDC Network is an open-source, EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain built for payments, trade finance and real-world assets, offering high throughput, low fees and enterprise-grade security, while being ISO 20022–compliant to support interoperability with global financial messaging and payment systems. XDC Network underpins a growing ecosystem of regulated digital money, trade, and settlement solutions across the globe.

About BCW Group and stakeFi

BCW Group is a SOC 2 Type II enterprise solutions firm and venture studio. We build AI, Web3, and Cloud infrastructure to power the digital universe. From agentic payments (arkhia.io) to enterprise-grade nodes (stakeFi.network), we connect legacy systems with the future of on-demand technology. Visit bcw.group and follow us on X and LinkedIn. stakeFi is BCW’s institutional staking and validation infrastructure platform, providing whitelabel validator nodes, treasury management tools, performance monitoring, and compliance reporting for banks, custodians, exchanges, and Web3 foundations across multiple proof-of-stake networks. For more information, visit bcw.group and stakefi.network.

Media Contact
Rachna Baruah | rachna@xinfin.org
Aakriti Jain | Head of Marketing & Associate Partner, info@bcw.group