The European Central Bank begins a major technological turn. The Governors' Council has just validated two major projects aimed at integrating Blockchain technology into the Euros transactions settlement system. A strategic advance that marks a turning point in the modernization of European Union financial infrastructure.
In short
- The ECB validates two projects to integrate the blockchain in the regulations of transactions in central currency.
- The “Pontes” project will connect DLT platforms to Target services from 2026.
- “APPIA”, a more ambitious solution, aims at the global integration of DLT technology in payments.
The ECB is launching its blockchain offensive with Ponte and Appia projects
On July 1, 2025, the European Central Bank announced that it has validated two series of strategic work to integrate distributed register technology (DLT) in the payment of payments.
These initiatives aim to connect current Eurosystem infrastructure to web3 innovations, while maintaining central currency control.
The first project, called “Pontes”, will be launched in the pilot phase by the third quarter of 2026. It will link DLT platforms (such as those used in decentralized finance or asset tokenization) to Target services, which currently provide interbank and titles in Europe. The objective: do not let these platforms develop in silo, but integrate them into the European ecosystem.
In the longer term, the “APPIA” project will explore the means to make this technology compatible with global cross -border flows, by potentially opening up other currencies and financial infrastructure. It is a prudent but strategic approach, where Europe seeks not to repeat the errors of the past on digital.
This announcement is a continuation of a test phase carried out between May and November 2024, including the published report Tuesday highlights the profits of the DLT: cost reduction, limitation of regulation risks, and increased efficiency in fund transfers.
Strategic response to the hegemony of American stablecoins?
If this orientation seems above all technocratic, it is actually part of a global monetary battle.
While the United States quickly advances on the regulation of stablecoins (with the support of the Congress and the Fed), the Banque de France multiplies the warnings.
Risk? A privatization of money by American giants such as Circle (USDC) or Tether (USDT), which together represent more than $ 215 billion.
In this context, the choice of the ECB to bet on a DLT compatible public infrastructure can be read as an indirect response. Rather than blocking or prohibiting stablecoins, Europe seeks to offer a technological and regulatory alternative, via digital Euro and controlled integration of blockchain in its settlement processes.
This would allow Europe to maintain its monetary autonomy while having competitive tools in the face of programmable and instant finance that develops across the Atlantic. And this choice is crucial: according to some studies, 66 % of card payments in the euro zone today depend on non-European infrastructure.
Faced with a global finance in full mutation, the ECB finally takes the blockchain turn. “Pontes” and “Appia” are not simple technical projects: they embody a strategic vision to prevent Europe from becoming a simple spectator in the Crypto revolution. It remains to be seen whether this ambition will convince the markets … before the stablecoins make the law.
Maximize your Cointribne experience with our 'Read to Earn' program! For each article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start accumulating advantages.
