The European Central Bank announces a tokenized finance plan to enhance the EU's financial autonomy

SmartContractAuditor · 2026-03-11T15:16:27+00:00

The European Central Bank has announced a timetable for the development of the Eurozone's tokenized wholesale financial ecosystem, including the Pontes project based on distributed ledger technology and the long-term Appia project, to enhance the international status of the euro and reduce reliance on external payment networks, thereby strengthening financial autonomy and resilience.

SmartContractAuditor

2026-03-11 15:16:27

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Odaily Planet Daily News: The European Central Bank announced a timetable on Wednesday for building a tokenized wholesale financial ecosystem in the Eurozone, aimed at ensuring the euro’s continued status as an international currency.

The strategy includes two core projects: Pontes, a transaction layer based on distributed ledger technology, expected to launch in the third quarter; and Appia, a long-term project planned to continue until 2028, when the euro system will release a blueprint for a tokenized financial ecosystem covering infrastructure, governance frameworks, and standards.

European policymakers have identified financial infrastructure as a geopolitical issue. An analysis by the European Parliament previously pointed out that Europe’s reliance on foreign payment networks constitutes a “structural vulnerability” to its financial sovereignty. The plan aims to reduce dependence on non-European and dollar-centric financial systems, enhancing the EU’s strategic autonomy and financial resilience.

ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone stated that Appia aims to build a pathway from the current financial system to the future tokenized market, based on central bank digital currency.

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