ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone outlines four initiatives shaping the future of money
Piero Cipollone: Shaping the future of money
AI-assisted source summary · not independently verified. Content standards
ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone introduced four initiatives shaping the future of money in Europe, including modernizing euro banknotes, advancing the digital euro, supporting tokenized finance through Pontes and Appia, and interconnecting instant payment systems. The digital euro pilot is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2027; if the legislative process is completed by the end of 2026, the aim is to achieve a potential first issuance in 2029. Pontes has supported the settlement of tokenized assets in central bank money and plans to gradually achieve 24/7/365 service in 2028.
The speech places cash, the digital euro, settlement for tokenized finance, and interconnected instant payments within the same strategic framework, showing how the European Central Bank is balancing public money, market innovation, and sovereignty over cross-border payments.
Source:European Central Bank · ecb.europa.eu