GCUL: Google Cloud develops its own blockchain

INFBusiness
30.08.2025
Markets

Google Cloud is developing its own blockchain network for the financial sector, the “Google Cloud Universal Ledger” (GCUL). Rich Widmann, Head of Web3 Strategy at Google Cloud, announced this in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday.
GCUL aims to provide a high-performance, neutral infrastructure for banks, payment services, and other financial institutions. The platform enables smart contracts in the Python programming language and is currently in a private testnet phase.
“GCUL is a neutral infrastructure layer,” Widmann writes in his post. “Tether won't use Circle's blockchain—and Adyen likely won't use Stripe's. But any financial institution can build with GCUL.”
Google Cloud is positioning its solution as an alternative to existing, proprietary systems from payment providers.
Officially, Google Cloud describes GCUL as a new service for the financial market, accessible via a unified application programming interface (API). The platform is intended to be usable for both automated payments and digital asset management.
The company also emphasized that the solution was designed with a focus on regulatory requirements and is operated as a private, permission-based network.
Although Widmann described GCUL as a Layer 1 blockchain in his post, its closed and permissioned structure drew criticism from the community. Several observers pointed out that it is not, strictly speaking, a decentralized blockchain network.
In the last five days, Google shares (GOOG) have risen by almost four percent, according to data from Tradingview.
Google Cloud has long recognized the potential of blockchain and has been cooperating with Solana since 2024.

Recommended Video Ethereum ATH – Bitcoin in the Cellar: What Happens Next?