When it comes to payment and settlement, traditional financial networks are already quite mature. Clearing institutions like Visa and MasterCard can process tens of thousands of transactions per second, appearing to be unbreakable. However, the emergence of blockchain technology is rewriting these rules of the game in a whole new way.

So how big is the difference? While traditional networks handle large transaction volumes, the problem lies in settlement efficiency. Merchants have to wait to receive funds, with T+1 at best and T+2 at worst. This means it takes one to two days for funds to arrive. For retail merchants, cash flow delays directly impact their operational rhythm.

Blockchain-based public chain solutions offer an alternative possibility. TPS (transactions per second) can match that of traditional networks, and more importantly, achieve T+0 real-time settlement—funds arrive instantly and are immediately available. This immediacy in fund flow is almost revolutionary for small merchants.

Merchants no longer need to worry about the cash gap during waiting periods; their turnover efficiency is directly elevated. When technological means begin to address the core pain points of traditional finance, a forced efficiency revolution is already underway.