# ECB digital currency and DLT integration

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ecb-digital-currency-and-dlt-integration
> Updated: 2026-09-21T03:12:27.000Z. Sources: 33. Developments: 2.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has begun implementing strategies to integrate central bank money with distributed ledger technology (DLT) to modernize financial services.

Initially, ECB Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel advocated for the on-chaining of central bank money to enable programmable payments and efficient collateral management. This effort is part of the long-term Project Appia vision to create a unified architecture for tokenized markets in Europe and to maintain monetary sovereignty against the potential dominance of dollar-pegged stablecoins.

On September 21, 2026, the Eurosystem officially launched the Pontes platform. This wholesale system connects DLT platforms with the existing TARGET payment infrastructure, allowing financial institutions to settle the cash leg of blockchain-based transactions using risk-free central bank euros. Initial participants include thirteen banks, such as Deutsche Bank, Santander, Société Générale, and KfW, as well as the European Investment Bank. Four DLT operators, including Clearstream and Axiology, are also onboarded; Axiology utilizes infrastructure derived from XRP Ledger technology for its asset leg. The platform currently operates during TARGET business hours, with plans to move toward 24/7 multi-currency settlement by mid-2028.

To support the ecosystem, the ECB announced it will invest a small portion of its €23 billion own funds portfolio—specifically less than €100 million—into highly rated euro-denominated tokenized public sector and supranational securities via Pontes.

Separately, the ECB has initiated preparations for a retail digital euro. This includes a call for interest from e-commerce and mobile-commerce merchants to participate in a pilot program scheduled for the second half of 2027, which will utilize a beta version of the currency to test technical integration in commercial environments.

## Claims

- The European Central Bank launched the Pontes platform on September 21, 2026. (corroborated by 19 sources)
- The platform utilizes Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to automate and bundle securities trading processes. (corroborated by 14 sources)
- Pontes connects market DLT platforms to the Eurosystem’s existing TARGET payment rails. (corroborated by 10 sources)
- The platform allows for the settlement of tokenized assets using wholesale digital euro central bank money. (corroborated by 10 sources)
- The ECB will invest a portion of its own funds, less than 100 million euros, into tokenized assets via Pontes. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The system currently operates from 08:00 to 16:00 CET on TARGET business days. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The ECB has opened a call for applications to e-commerce merchants to test the digital euro. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Thirteen banks and four DLT operators are participating in the initial launch. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The Pontes platform is designed for wholesale (B2B) transactions rather than retail (B2C) use. (single source)
- The digital euro pilot is expected to take place in the second half of 2027. (single source)
- Axiology, one of the four operators, utilizes infrastructure derived from XRP Ledger technology. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-21: ECB launches Pontes platform for wholesale tokenized asset settlement

The ECB has launched Pontes, a platform allowing banks to settle tokenized assets using wholesale central bank money, connecting DLT markets to the Eurosystem's TARGET infrastructure.

27 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-central-bank-launches-pontes-platform-for-digital-securities

### 2026-08-28: ECB official proposes moving central bank money on-chain

ECB's Isabel Schnabel proposes moving central bank money on-chain via DLT to modernize settlement. The Pontes project is scheduled to launch in September 2026 to bridge existing systems with blockchain.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ecb-official-proposes-moving-central-bank-reserves-on-chain

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Cite as: ECB digital currency and DLT integration. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ecb-digital-currency-and-dlt-integration