The European Central Bank has unveiled a two-track strategy to bring the euro onto the blockchain: a wholesale track with the Pontes platform launching on September 21, 2026, and a retail digital euro for everyday users with a potential first issuance in 2029. Pontes will settle tokenised asset transactions in central bank money, with 13 market participants already onboarded including Deutsche Bank and Santander. The Appia initiative aims to establish an integrated European tokenised finance ecosystem by 2028, based on three technical models for placing central bank money on-chain. The legislative framework for the digital euro is under trialogue negotiations since July 2026, with a target completion by end of 2026 and merchant pilots expected by mid-2027.
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