Enabling the evolution of payments

The journey toward the Digital Euro has begun, but banks still need clear answers regarding the opportunities and challenges of the new Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). For this reason, TAS has decided to meet with financial institutions to discuss how to integrate the new digital currency while mitigating investment impacts and creating value-added services.

“Technological evolution drives change in payment services: digital currencies have emerged, so moving toward the Digital Euro is a natural step,” says Odisseo Di Michele, Business Development Manager at TAS. “Moreover, those operating in crypto-assets today rely on private and high-risk networks that could easily collapse in the event of a speculative bubble. As a result, they are not viewed favorably by supervisory authorities, which must ensure stability, reliability, and resilience in payment systems within their respective markets. Having a Eurozone currency will also reduce dependence on major global digital payment networks, which have cost implications for the system’s resources.”

The First Challenges to Address

However, some critical issues also emerge for banks. The first concerns the cost of implementing new Digital Euro payment services, which must be included in budgets while also assessing the return on these investments.

“Another critical aspect is linked to the fact that digital currency is a form of payment similar to cash,” Di Michele continues. “The amount of digital currency citizens hold in their wallet is withdrawn from the current accounts linked to the Digital Euro app, thereby reducing the bank’s overall funding availability.”

How Many Digital Euros in the Wallet?

Discussions are ongoing between the ECB and banks regarding the maximum holding limit. The Central Bank is leaning toward a threshold of €3,000, while financial institutions would prefer a limit of €1,000.

“The main feature of these Digital Euro accounts (wallets) is that they must be funded via a link to one or more current accounts held by the customer, who can choose which account to draw from,” explains Di Michele. “However, the maximum cap — whether €3,000 or less — will be tied to the individual’s wallet, not to each associated account.”

The Path Paved by Instant Payments

While seeking a balanced solution between the two positions, the ECB recognizes that it cannot move forward without banks and the trust-based relationships they have built with consumers over the years, continuing to innovate in digital payments.

“The introduction of the Digital Euro, and more broadly services based on DLT technologies, confirms and consolidates the now unavoidable trend toward implementing instant payment services available 24/7/365,” Di Michele notes. “Another use case involves offline payments, similar to cash payments — anonymous and untraceable — activated through communication between two devices when there is no network connection.”

Strategies and Investments to Consider

To fully leverage the Digital Euro’s innovative potential, banks may consider adopting shared system-wide platforms, upgrading their existing payment management platforms, or implementing new infrastructures dedicated to these new services.

“Our Payments Hub integrates all payment services, and thanks to an advanced technological platform, we will integrate Digital Euro payment services as well,” says Di Michele. “This is a journey that began with the introduction of instant payments last October and continues with the Digital Euro. This infrastructure enables the management of DLT-based mechanisms and new networks, starting with the management of the new Digital Euro account. The goal is to provide banks — and their end customers — with features to control and modify daily or monthly usage limits of the account linked to the wallet, as well as treasury management functionalities. In addition, we are developing solutions for the offline operation of devices connected to the Digital Euro wallet.”

Finally, TAS is working to facilitate the introduction of Digital Euro payment services within treasury management and the Public Administration sector, which will need to adapt to accepting payments in Digital Euro.

DLT for Eurosystem Payment Systems

In July 2025, the ECB approved a blockchain strategy structured around two projects: Pontes, a short-term solution to connect DLT platforms with the Eurosystem’s payment systems, and Appia, a long-term initiative aimed at creating an integrated European ecosystem for the settlement of tokenized assets.

This represents a response to dependence on foreign infrastructures and the spread of dollar-denominated stablecoins to strengthen European autonomy in digital payments.

“This strategy aligns with the evolution of settlement services provided by the ECB,” Di Michele concludes. “With the Pontes project, DLT-based services are being further expanded.”

Original source: article by AziendaBanca

The transition to T+1 settlement represents one of the most significant changes for European financial markets in recent years. It is not merely about shortening the settlement cycle by one day, but about addressing a transformation that directly impacts processes, systems, and operating models across financial intermediaries.

The regulator’s objective is clear: reduce systemic risk, strengthen market resilience, and increase transparency in settlement flows. However, implementing T+1 in Europe presents structural complexities that distinguish it from other international experiences. The presence of multiple markets, CSDs, and differing operating models requires a high level of coordination across the entire operational chain.

In this context, daily dialogue with banks and service providers highlights how compressed timelines make phases that are often handled on a deferred basis — such as pre-matching, data quality, and exception management — increasingly critical. From TAS’s perspective, as a long-standing technology provider in the capital markets space, T+1 cannot be viewed as a mere compliance obligation, but rather as an evolution of the operating model.

Under T+1, settlement fails can no longer be treated as events to be analyzed retrospectively. They become risks that must be actively managed throughout the trading day, requiring up-to-date information and tighter integration between securities, cash, and reporting systems.

In this scenario, increasing process automation and the evolution toward more “intelligent” applications play a central role. The compression of processing timelines makes management models based on manual intervention or ex-post controls progressively unsustainable. Institutions need systems capable of supporting timely operational decisions, prioritizing exceptions, and continuously monitoring process status.

Ongoing dialogue with the market reveals a recurring theme: adapting individual applications is necessary, but not sufficient. Without an end-to-end process view, there is a risk of informational fragmentation, making operational governance more complex precisely when speed becomes a critical factor.

It is from these considerations that the need emerges to strengthen structured moments of discussion among market participants. This is the objective TAS pursues through its dedicated, periodic User Groups — designed as dialogue forums with directly involved intermediaries to jointly analyze topics that significantly impact technological and market developments.

Within a new Capital Markets User Group, the T+1 topic can be addressed alongside other key transformation drivers — from regulatory reporting developments to digital asset initiatives and the coexistence of DLT-based markets with traditional infrastructures — with the goal of sharing experiences, approaches, and common operational perspectives.

In a landscape that continues to evolve, marked by converging regulatory and technological transformations, dialogue among market participants represents one of the key elements for successfully navigating a transition that, more than ever, requires a shared vision.

Article by Roberto Bruschi, Business Development Manager of TAS.

Original Source: Bancaforte

Milan, September, 2025 – TAS SpA (hereinafter “TAS”), a leading company in the supply of software and services for banking and financial applications, in Europe and the Americas, announces the entry of David Mogini as Head of the Capital Markets Business Unit.

With over 30 years of experience gained in leading international consulting firms and in the banking sector, David Mogini brings to TAS an in-depth knowledge of the financial market and its main business areas: capital markets, commercial and transaction banking, wealth and asset management.

Throughout his career, he has led major transformation and innovation programs for prominent players in the financial sector in Italy and abroad, focusing on strategy, operations, digital & IT transformation, and open banking.

Thanks to his strategic vision, ability to build strong relationships, and strong innovation mindset, David will support TAS in expanding its Capital Markets offering, further strengthening the company’s role as a key technology partner for the industry.

September 29 | October 2 – Messe Frankfurt

TAS is among the official exhibitors at Sibos 2025.

Stop by our booth F065 to share insights on the latest trends on digital payments, liquidity management, payment schemes connectivity, open banking and much more.

Milan – February, 27 2025 Worldpay, a global leader in payment solutions with a presence in 146 countries and the processing of over 50 billion transactions annually, and TAS, an Italian ICT company specializing in payment systems and transaction processing, announce a new partnership to simplify and broaden access to digital payments to the Public Administration.

A strategic partnership to offer merchants a turnkey solution for integrating pagoPA payments into their applications, thereby expanding opportunities for citizens and businesses.

The integration of Worldpay’s acquiring and processing solutions with TAS’s PayTAS platform enables merchants, app developers, and payment service operators to join the pagoPA network and easily offer the collection and payment functionalities of pagoPA, without the need to develop complex infrastructures. Already adopted by numerous banks, payment institutions, and many prominent public entities and creditors, PayTAS is a platform that streamlines the collection process and digitizes payments to the Public Administration and other entities participating in the pagoPA system. It facilitates connection to this system, both as a Technology Partner and as a Payment Service Provider (PSP).

“The collaboration with Worldpay allows us to extend the value of PayTAS and offer, even to third-party operators, a turnkey solution for pagoPA payments that can be easily integrated on online channels, physical networks, mobile devices, and state-of-the-art physical POS systems. With Worldpay, we are also working on introducing innovative payment processes and tools,” said Stefano Macchi, Technical Sales Representative at TAS.

“Thanks to this integration, anyone wishing to offer payments within the pagoPA network will be able to do so simply and without technical complexities, thereby expanding the available channels for citizens and businesses while ensuring competitive rates”.“Working with TAS and pagoPA is an important milestone, as it makes Worldpay part of the change and innovation in digital payments to the Public Administration. The advanced security and speed of transactions ensure a smooth and satisfying payment experience, affirming the cutting edge of our payment solutions.”— Phil Brown, Country Manager Italy and Malta, Worldpay.

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Milan – December, 18 2024 – We are pleased to announce that TAS S.p.A., a leading provider of software and services for banking and financial applications in Italy, has obtained the UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification, recognizing TAS group’s commitment to workplace gender equality.

This certification marks a significant step toward creating an inclusive, equitable, and discrimination-free work environment where every individual, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities for growth and success.

The UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification, which provides guidelines for gender equality management systems, is a crucial tool for addressing the gender gap in the labor market. It promotes practices that foster a climate of inclusion, respect, and appreciation for diversity.

Valentino Bravi, CEO of TAS, commented: “This certification is not just a symbol of our company’s commitment; it represents a tangible act of social responsibility. Every employee, regardless of gender, has the right to fully express their potential, contributing to collective success. Our vision is to continually improve by providing a work environment where equality, employee empowerment, and mutual respect are at the core of everything we do.”

“Our journey does not stop here,” added Guido Isani, HR Director of TAS. “We will continue to monitor and enhance our policies and goals to ensure an increasingly inclusive workplace where gender equality is not just formal but a daily reality. Achieving this certification inspires us to carry on our mission with enthusiasm: promoting equality and inclusivity while contributing to building a conscious society.”

This recognition is the result of teamwork and the unwavering dedication of all TAS employees.

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