European Central Bank launches Pontes digital finance infrastructure

The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched Pontes, a new wholesale digital currency infrastructure designed to integrate public money into digital finance. This system focuses on inter-bank transactions and wholesale markets rather than retail use for the general public.

Pontes serves as a technological bridge connecting new digital registries to the Target wholesale payment system. By facilitating simultaneous transactions between the sale of securities and the receipt of funds, the infrastructure aims to eliminate intermediate waiting times and increase transparency for professional operators.

A primary objective of the initiative is to establish European public money as the foundation for transactions involving tokenized assets, such as bonds and funds. This move is intended to mitigate the risks associated with private stablecoins and reduce dependence on non-European platforms. The service is currently active during limited hours, with the goal of achieving 24/7 operational capacity by mid-2028.