Nexi and Deutsche Telekom have been selected by the ECB as one of two providers of connectivity for the digital euro, under a ten-year contract.
Nexi, acting in a temporary grouping with Deutsche Telekom, was chosen following the European Central Bank’s negotiated public procurement procedure for Network Service Provider (NSP) connectivity. The grouping will also provide the NSP services supporting the digital euro pilot project. Spain’s Telefónica, together with Minsait, has been reported as the second provider, with its contract set to begin in May 2027.
Connecting the digital euro platform
The network will interconnect the data centres hosting the components of the Digital Euro Service Platform (DESP) and allow external participants, including payment service providers and national central banks, to access the platform. According to Nexi, this connectivity is a foundational element for the launch and operation of the digital euro.
The joint solution from Nexi and Deutsche Telekom combines connectivity with a mediation platform designed to enable the end-to-end exchange of digital euro transactions across the DESP ecosystem. The architecture is designed to scale, adjusting resources to varying transaction volumes and periods of peak usage so that digital euro services can be delivered reliably to end users.
Digital sovereignty and resilience
Bernardo Mingrone, CEO of Nexi Group, described the award as an important milestone that confirms Nexi’s role as an infrastructure partner in European payments. According to Mingrone, the digital euro is a key initiative for the future of payments and for strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty, and the ten-year agreement recognises Nexi’s technological capabilities and its ability 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, stated that the euro area’s financial ecosystem depends on secure, resilient, and trusted digital infrastructure. According to Ludewig, Deutsche Telekom’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 across merchant solutions, issuing solutions, and digital banking solutions.
