The European Central Bank (ECB) has started a new service called Pontes. Pontes connects the ECB's usual money system to financial markets that use blockchain. This means banks and investors can finish digital deals using official euros instead of digital money like cryptocurrencies. Big financial companies, including Deutsche Bank and Santander, are some of the first to use Pontes.

The ECB launched Pontes because most digital deals using blockchain now use private digital money, called stablecoins, which are not controlled by the ECB. Pontes lets these deals use official euros instead. Blockchain is a technology that keeps records on many computers at the same time, so the information is shared and harder to change.

Now, when banks and investors use Pontes, they can send money and change ownership of assets at the same time. This can make deals faster and easier. At first, Pontes will only work limited hours on weekdays, but the ECB hopes to expand it in the future.