ECB Paves Way for DLT-Based Financial Market Innovation

In an attempt to innovate financial market settlements, the European Central Bank (ECB) has revealed plans to explore the application of distributed ledger technology (DLT). This exploratory phase is set to commence in 2024, according to the recently published meeting minutes.

The ECB is focused on transforming the way financial institutions settle transactions, whether they’re for securities or foreign exchange. Alongside this, the bank also plans to develop a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC), named the digital euro, aimed at EU citizens.

The document quotes, “The ECB clarified that the envisioned start of exploratory work is in 2024.” It specifies that the experiment will include both real and mock wholesale transactions, testing the use of central bank money.

However, the ECB also stressed that these investigations will be “limited in capacity and time”. All the exploration will follow existing rules, including a new pilot regulation passed by the EU last year. This regulation temporarily eases the infrastructure requirements for securities trading using DLT.

This announcement was made during the inaugural meeting of a new industry grouping established by the ECB. As traditional finance players delve deeper into crypto and blockchain technology, the ECB’s consultative board remains dominated by conventional financial giants like Euroclear and Deutsche Bank. Yet, DLT-focused initiatives such as HQLAX and Fnality are also represented.

In parallel, the European Commission proposed new laws on Wednesday, potentially laying the groundwork for a retail CBDC. These regulations focus on aspects such as consumer privacy and deposit holding limits to prevent withdrawals from the banking system