The European Central Bank (ECB) has opened a call for participation in the Appia contact group, the initiative that aims to design and develop Europe’s tokenized DLT financial ecosystem. Market and public sector participants are invited to join by 19 June.
Beyond Appia, group members will have input into enhanced versions of Pontes, the platform that connects the TARGET2 system to market DLT systems, which is expected to launch the first phase in September. For Pontes the work is around requirements, risks and deployment plans. Participants are expected to provide input on technical and business topics as well as standards for Appia, where a blueprint is planned for 2028.
Given Appia’s broad aims, the invitation is open to a wide range of participants, including banks involved in Pontes alongside market infrastructures and industry associations. While the ECB says it wants to keep the group at a manageable size, it might be larger than Pontes, where the contact group was already substantial. For example, the Pontes group had 4 observers, but the observers for Appia look to reach around 30. The Pontes market contact group has 53 members including 13 central banks.
Article continues …
Want the full story? Pro subscribers get complete articles, exclusive industry analysis, and early access to legislative updates that keep you ahead of the competition. Join the professionals who are choosing deeper insights over surface level news.
