HQLAᵡ selected to join Project Pontes
21 October 2025 Europe
Image: nmann77/stock.adobe.com
The Eurosystem has selected HQLAᵡ to join the Pontes market contact group.
The firm will support the initial phase of the initiative for wholesale settlement in euro central bank money, which is due to go live in Q3 2026.
Pontes is the Eurosystem’s distributed ledger technology (DLT) solution that links market DLT platforms and TARGET Services to settle transactions in central bank money.
The project builds on the successful results of the exploratory work on new technologies for wholesale central bank money settlement, according to the European Central Bank (ECB).
Richard Glen, solutions architect at HQLAᵡ, will represent the firm, bringing his experience in digital infrastructure and interoperability to help shape the future of settlement between traditional and digital markets.
This marks an important step for HQLAᵡ, which aims to redefine collateral mobility and enable secure, efficient, and scalable digital transactions.
HQLAᵡ is one of several financial market participants and central banks, such as Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, to join the Pontes market contact group.
The market contact group will support and facilitate focused dialogue with the financial market concerning the Pontes project.
To ensure transparency and information sharing, the Eurosystem will publish meeting outcomes and related documents on the ECB’s website.
The Pontes project is part of the Eurosystem's efforts to provide a solution to the market for settling wholesale financial transactions in euro on market DLT platforms against central bank money.
While Pontes is a short term offering to the market, the subsequent ‘Appia’ initiative will explore a potential integrated long term solution.
The firm will support the initial phase of the initiative for wholesale settlement in euro central bank money, which is due to go live in Q3 2026.
Pontes is the Eurosystem’s distributed ledger technology (DLT) solution that links market DLT platforms and TARGET Services to settle transactions in central bank money.
The project builds on the successful results of the exploratory work on new technologies for wholesale central bank money settlement, according to the European Central Bank (ECB).
Richard Glen, solutions architect at HQLAᵡ, will represent the firm, bringing his experience in digital infrastructure and interoperability to help shape the future of settlement between traditional and digital markets.
This marks an important step for HQLAᵡ, which aims to redefine collateral mobility and enable secure, efficient, and scalable digital transactions.
HQLAᵡ is one of several financial market participants and central banks, such as Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, to join the Pontes market contact group.
The market contact group will support and facilitate focused dialogue with the financial market concerning the Pontes project.
To ensure transparency and information sharing, the Eurosystem will publish meeting outcomes and related documents on the ECB’s website.
The Pontes project is part of the Eurosystem's efforts to provide a solution to the market for settling wholesale financial transactions in euro on market DLT platforms against central bank money.
While Pontes is a short term offering to the market, the subsequent ‘Appia’ initiative will explore a potential integrated long term solution.
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