The European Central Bank launched a new service on Monday connecting its payment system with blockchain-based financial markets, alongside plans to invest a portion of its own funds in digital securities. According to the European Central Bank, the infrastructure marks a step toward adapting central bank operations to distributed ledger technology, where assets trade on shared digital ledgers rather than legacy systems.
Pontes Service Links Central Bank Money to Blockchain Settlement
The newly introduced platform, named Pontes, enables commercial banks and institutional investors to settle blockchain transactions using central bank-backed euros rather than relying on stablecoins or private digital money. According to the European Central Bank, an initial group of participants—including Deutsche Bank, Santander, and settlement provider Clearstream—has completed onboarding and gained access upon launch. The platform operates on business days from 8:00 to 16:00 CET, with plans for progressive service expansions.
European Central Bank Allocates Capital to Blockchain Debt
Alongside the payment link, the monetary authority announced it will invest a portion of its 23 billion euros in own funds into blockchain-based securities. Investments will focus on high-rated, euro-denominated public sector debt issued on distributed ledgers.
Global Central Bank Blockchain Initiatives
The European Central Bank’s deployment aligns with similar digital asset projects across international central banks. The Swiss National Bank leads Project Helvetia, utilizing wholesale central bank digital currency to settle securities transactions. Additionally, the European Central Bank continues development on a consumer digital euro with a target launch year of 2029, designed in part to decrease the eurozone’s reliance on U.S. credit card networks.
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