[European Central Bank Launches Pontes Service to Connect Payment Systems and Blockchain Financial Markets] The European Central Bank has launched the Pontes service, linking payment systems with blockchain financial markets to support banks and investors in conducting on-chain settlements in euros. The first institutions to connect include Deutsche Bank, Santander Bank, and Clearstream Banking. During the initial phase, the service will operate on business days from 14:00 to 22:00 (UTC+8). The European Central Bank will invest a very small portion of its €23 billion in proprietary funds into blockchain securities and plans to introduce a digital euro by 2029. (Source: Reuters)