Nexi and Deutsche Telekom to provide connectivity for the digital euro

ECB selects Nexi and Deutsche Telekom

The European Central Bank has selected Nexi and Deutsche Telekom as one of two providers of connectivity for the digital euro. The companies will work together in a temporary grouping under a ten-year contract.

The selection followed the ECB’s negotiated public procurement procedure for Network Service Provider (NSP) connectivity. The grouping will also provide NSP services for the digital euro pilot. Spain’s Telefónica, together with Minsait, has been reported as the second provider, with its contract due to start in May 2027.

Network services for the digital euro platform

The network will connect data centres hosting components of the Digital Euro Service Platform (DESP). It will also give external participants, including payment service providers and national central banks, access to the platform. Nexi describes connectivity as a fundamental part of launching and operating the digital euro.

The solution from Nexi and Deutsche Telekom combines connectivity with a mediation platform. The platform is designed to support the exchange of digital euro transactions across the DESP ecosystem. Its architecture can scale to changing transaction volumes and peak usage periods, helping deliver reliable services to end users.

Digital sovereignty and infrastructure resilience

Bernardo Mingrone, CEO of Nexi Group, described the contract award as an important milestone that confirms Nexi’s role as an infrastructure partner in European payments. He said the digital euro is important for the future of payments and for strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty. The ten-year agreement recognises Nexi’s technological capabilities and its capacity to support banks, businesses and institutions across the euro area.

Gottfried Ludewig, Senior Vice President and Leader Public Sector and Health Industry at Deutsche Telekom, said the euro area’s financial ecosystem depends on secure, resilient and trusted digital infrastructure. He added that the company’s contribution to the ECB-led initiative builds on its work on projects such as European quantum communication infrastructure and the IRIS² satellite programme, which support Europe’s digital sovereignty. Nexi, listed on Euronext Milan, operates in merchant solutions, issuing solutions and digital banking solutions.