ECB to Launch Blockchain Pilot for Eurozone Settlements by 2026

The European Central Bank (ECB) is poised to transform eurozone financial settlements by introducing a blockchain-based pilot program under its innovative “Pontes” initiative by the end of the third quarter of 2026. This pilot aims to seamlessly integrate distributed ledger technology (DLT) platforms with the Eurosystem’s core payment infrastructure, TARGET Services, thereby enhancing transaction efficiency and security.

The Pontes initiative will leverage insights from over 50 exploratory DLT trials conducted in 2024, involving 64 participants and settling transactions worth approximately €1.6 billion. This pilot will enable the settlement of tokenized assets directly in central bank money, reducing reliance on intermediaries and enhancing transaction finality. The integration with TARGET Services is expected to address current market fragmentation and inefficiencies by providing a unified, programmable settlement layer. The ECB emphasizes that this approach aligns with its commitment to innovation without compromising the safety and efficiency of financial market infrastructures.

Complementing Pontes, the ECB’s Appia track adopts a broader, long-term perspective aimed at developing an integrated European ecosystem that supports secure and efficient DLT operations on a global scale. This initiative involves continuous collaboration with public and private stakeholders to explore wholesale central bank settlement applications. The establishment of market contact groups for both Pontes and Appia will facilitate ongoing industry dialogue and feedback, ensuring that the ECB’s strategies remain aligned with market needs and technological advancements.

Such a dual-track approach reflects the ECB’s recognition of blockchain’s transformative potential while acknowledging the complexities involved in large-scale adoption. By balancing immediate pilot projects with strategic ecosystem development, the ECB positions itself at the forefront of central bank digital currency (CBDC) and DLT innovation. The ECB’s initiatives resonate with a global trend among central banks exploring DLT to enhance settlement systems. Notably, the Bank of England’s 2023 experiment demonstrated the feasibility of using DLT for large-scale interbank transactions, showcasing potential improvements in real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems by enabling faster, cost-effective, and interoperable financial infrastructure connections.

Such developments underscore a shared ambition across monetary authorities to modernize payment ecosystems while retaining control over monetary flows and systemic risk. The ECB’s Pontes and Appia projects thus contribute to a broader narrative of digital transformation in global finance. The ECB’s recently published report on its DLT exploratory work highlights a robust market appetite for settling tokenized assets in central bank money. The trials, which settled €1.6 billion, demonstrated that DLT can significantly reduce fragmentation, complexity, and technological inefficiencies in capital markets by enabling atomic and programmable settlement processes.

However, the report also stresses critical prerequisites for widespread adoption, including the need for standardized protocols, harmonized legal frameworks, and interoperability with existing TARGET Services. Addressing these challenges will be essential to ensure seamless integration and regulatory compliance across the eurozone’s diverse financial landscape. The ECB’s dual-track approach with Pontes and Appia represents a pragmatic and forward-looking strategy to harness blockchain technology for eurozone financial settlements. By piloting a blockchain settlement system connected to TARGET Services and simultaneously fostering a long-term integrated ecosystem, the ECB is paving the way for a more efficient, secure, and innovative financial infrastructure. Market participants and stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the upcoming Pontes market contact group to contribute to shaping the future of European financial markets.