European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said euro zone inflation stood at 3.8% in September, with elevated energy costs remaining the main driver. She said the ECB expects those pressures to ease next year, though the energy shock could keep inflation above the central bank’s target until the first half of 2027. In her remarks, Lagarde said the ECB’s current cautious policy response remains appropriate.
Lagarde also gave an update on the ECB’s digital currency and settlement work. She said the central bank is preparing a digital euro for everyday retail payments, describing it as a digital complement to cash. According to her, the project is intended to support more innovation and stronger competition in retail payments across the euro area. She also said the ECB has launched Pontes, a platform that allows financial institutions to settle wholesale tokenized asset transactions in central bank money. The system is starting with core services and is expected to be fully implemented in 2028, according to Cointelegraph.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said euro zone inflation came in at 3.8% in September, driven mainly by high energy costs. The ECB expects those pressures to ease next year.
Lagarde said the energy shock could keep inflation above the ECB’s target until the first half of 2027, while adding that the central bank’s current cautious policy response remains appropriate.
Digital euro project moves closer
Lagarde said the ECB is preparing a digital euro for everyday retail payments and described it as a digital complement to cash.
She said the digital euro would support more innovation and competition in the retail payments segment.
Pontes launched for wholesale tokenized asset settlement
Lagarde also said the ECB has launched Pontes, which allows financial institutions to settle wholesale tokenized asset transactions using central bank money. The system is initially providing core services and is expected to be fully implemented in 2028.
The remarks were reported by Cointelegraph.
This article was originally published by Bit.Fan. For more cryptocurrency news and market insights, visit www.bit.fan. Disclaimer:
The market information, project data, and third-party content displayed on this platform are for industry information sharing only and do not constitute any form of investment advice or return commitment.
Cryptocurrency trading carries high risks. Users should fully assess their risk tolerance and make independent decisions. All profits, losses, and legal responsibilities are borne by the users themselves.
