Author: Oliver Torsney

The European Central Bank is accelerating its strategy to prepare Europe’s financial system for tokenised assets, unveiling new initiatives designed to allow distributed ledger platforms to settle transactions directly in central bank money. In a blog published on 12 March, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said projects known as Pontes and Appia aim to ensure that emerging digital financial markets remain anchored in safe public money while supporting innovation and European financial sovereignty. The initiatives form part of a broader effort by the Eurosystem to modernise the role of central bank money as financial markets shift toward tokenisation and…

The Eurosystem has unveiled a new strategic initiative called Appia, outlining a roadmap to help shape Europe’s emerging tokenised financial ecosystem while ensuring central bank money remains the anchor of the monetary system. The project signals how the European Central Bank and national central banks plan to guide the transition toward tokenised wholesale markets as digital technologies transform financial infrastructure across the euro area. Announced on 11 March, Appia will bring together the Eurosystem, financial institutions, technology providers, and public sector bodies to explore how tokenisation and distributed ledger technology, or DLT, could underpin a more integrated European financial market.…

The European Central Bank has released detailed functional requirements for its upcoming digital euro pilot, offering the clearest picture yet of how the proposed currency would work in everyday payments. The document outlines how consumers, merchants and banks will interact with the system during a controlled pilot expected to begin in 2027, marking a significant step toward operational testing of the euro area’s future digital cash. The functional specification accompanies the ECB’s recent call for payment service providers to participate in the pilot programme. Together, the documents suggest that the digital euro project has progressed beyond conceptual design and is…

Western Union is preparing to launch a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin on the Solana blockchain, marking a significant shift in how one of the world’s largest remittance companies approaches digital assets. The move reflects growing interest among traditional payment providers in blockchain infrastructure as a way to speed up cross-border transfers and reduce reliance on conventional banking rails. The proposed token, reportedly called USDPT (U.S. Dollar Payment Token), would be issued in partnership with Anchorage Digital Bank, a federally regulated U.S. crypto bank. According to reports, the stablecoin could launch as early as the first half of 2026 and would be…

Visa and Bridge have expanded their collaboration to bring stablecoin-linked payment cards to more than 100 countries, a move that further embeds crypto-based money into global retail payments. The announcement underscores how private digital currencies are increasingly integrating with established card networks, intensifying competition just as Europe debates the future role of a digital euro. The partnership builds on earlier work between Visa and Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure provider that enables companies to issue and manage fiat-backed digital tokens. The expanded rollout will allow users to spend stablecoin balances through Visa-branded cards at merchants worldwide, converting digital assets into local…

Stripe is formalising a new billing model designed for the AI economy, allowing companies to charge customers based on token consumption rather than fixed subscriptions. The development positions the payments company at the centre of a fast-growing shift toward usage-based pricing for artificial intelligence services, a change that could reshape digital commerce models across Europe. The new system, outlined in Stripe’s documentation on token billing and highlighted in recent coverage, enables businesses to meter and bill for AI usage in real time. Instead of treating AI model calls as a backend expense, companies can directly charge customers per token, per…

Christine Lagarde has indicated she intends to serve out her full mandate as president of the European Central Bank, dampening speculation that she might leave before her term ends in October 2027. The signal matters beyond personal career planning. It reinforces continuity at a pivotal moment for euro area monetary policy and for the future of the digital euro project. According to a Reuters report published on 26 February 2026, Lagarde suggested she expects to complete her eight-year term at the helm of the ECB. The remarks come amid recurring market rumours about a potential early departure to another high-profile…

European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis has called for rapid progress on the digital euro legislation, arguing that delays could weaken Europe’s monetary sovereignty as other jurisdictions move ahead with digital public and private money initiatives. Speaking at the Maste event, Dombrovskis framed the digital euro as a strategic project for the entire euro area, linking it directly to Europe’s autonomy in payments and financial infrastructure. His remarks underline the political dimension of the project at a time when the European Central Bank is advancing technical preparations while legislative negotiations continue in Brussels. Dombrovskis stressed that the digital euro…

Stripe is considering an acquisition of all or parts of PayPal, according to Bloomberg, in what could become one of the largest transactions in the history of digital payments. The early stage deliberations, if they progress, would mark a dramatic consolidation move in a sector already under pressure from Apple Pay and Google Pay, with implications for global payment infrastructure including Europe. According to people familiar with the matter, Stripe has expressed preliminary interest in acquiring either the full company or selected assets of PayPal. No formal offer has been made and there is no certainty a transaction will occur.…

The European Central Bank has signed a collaboration agreement with the ONCE Foundation to ensure the digital euro app is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, older adults and those with limited digital skills. The move signals that inclusion is becoming a central design principle of Europe’s future central bank digital currency, not an afterthought. Announced on 18 February 2026, the partnership will see the ECB draw directly on the ONCE Foundation’s technical expertise in accessibility as it develops the digital euro’s user interface and functionalities. The collaboration is not remunerated. The ECB says it will rely on the…