ECB to Launch Blockchain-Based Settlement Pilot Program by Late 2026
The European Central Bank (ECB) plans to launch a blockchain-based settlement pilot program, Pontes, in late 2026. This initiative aims to integrate the eurozone's payment infrastructures with distributed ledger technology (DLT).
Key Details
- Pontes will enable DLT transactions using central bank money.
- The first track, Pontes, targets a Q3 2026 implementation and links DLT platforms to TARGET services.
- A research conducted in 2024 involved 50 experiments with 64 entities, assessing a unified settlement system.
- Additional modifications to TARGET Services and further DLT trials may occur before the official launch.
- The second track, Appia, focuses on long-term integration and collaboration across public and private sectors for a global ecosystem.
- Market contact groups for both Pontes and Appia will be established; invitations for Pontes participation will be issued soon.
- A report from the ECB indicates strong demand for settling tokenized assets with central bank money.
- This follows the EU's adoption of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation on December 30, 2024, aiming for a unified regulatory framework.
- Robinhood has launched tokenized trading on the Arbitrum Layer 2 blockchain for 24/7 commission-free trading of stocks.