ECB Targets 2026 for Initial Launch of Pontes in Tokenized Markets

Europe's tokenized markets require central bank money settlement, according to ECB board member Piero Cipollone. According to NS3.AI, the European Central Bank (ECB) is aiming for the third quarter of 2026 to initiate the launch of Pontes, a system designed to connect distributed ledger technology (DLT) market platforms with the Eurosystem's TARGET Services. The Appia roadmap, set for March 11, outlines a plan to establish a comprehensive tokenized market framework by 2028. Cipollone emphasized the need for a legal framework within the EU to support these developments. Additionally, Circle has urged the European Commission to expand the DLT Pilot Regime as of March 20.