The Eurosystem said Pontes represents the first step in implementing its strategy for tokenised finance and will initially provide settlement services for transactions involving digital assets recorded on distributed-ledger technology. Further features and longer operating hours are expected to be introduced gradually, with full implementation targeted for 2028.
The initiative addresses one of the central challenges facing institutional adoption of tokenised finance: the need to settle transactions using a trusted and risk-free form of money. By connecting tokenised assets with central bank money, the ECB is seeking to combine the efficiency of distributed-ledger technology with the stability of established monetary infrastructure.
Tokenisation allows financial assets to be represented digitally on distributed ledgers, potentially combining issuance, trading, settlement, custody and servicing into more automated processes. The ECB said earlier experiments conducted in 2024 indicated that access to central bank money was an important condition for broader adoption of the technology.
An initial group of banks and market infrastructure operators has already completed onboarding to Pontes. Participants include Deutsche Bank, Santander, Société Générale, Clearstream and the European Investment Bank, according to the ECB. Additional institutions are expected to connect in the coming months.
The development places central-bank infrastructure at the centre of Europe's response to the growing tokenisation of financial markets. It could eventually affect how securities are issued, transferred and settled, while creating new opportunities for automation and cross-market integration.
The ECB is also developing the wider Appia programme with public and private-sector participants to examine distributed-ledger applications and produce a blueprint by 2028.
For financial institutions, the next phase will focus on whether tokenised markets can scale while maintaining operational resilience, regulatory compliance and settlement efficiency. The launch of Pontes marks a significant transition from controlled experimentation towards institutional financial infrastructure.
