At a regional meeting of central bank governors in Pula, Central Bank of Montenegro Governor Irena Radovic said digital assets and other financial innovation should develop within clear rules, responsible oversight and safeguards that protect financial stability, consumer protection and monetary sovereignty. Speaking on a panel about digital assets in the traditional financial system, she linked that approach to Montenegro’s payment modernisation agenda, highlighting the country’s progress on SEPA and instant payments. Radovic said Montenegro’s operational accession to the Single Euro Payments Area, or SEPA, reduced cross-border payment costs for transactions to the European Union from the highest in the region to the lowest, according to a World Bank report. She also presented work on the TIPS Clone platform for instant euro payments, which is being developed with Banca d’Italia and supported by the European Central Bank and the World Bank, with full market launch planned for 20 July 2026.
Central Bank of Montenegro2026-05-15
Central Bank of Montenegro outlines stability-first approach to digital assets and targets 20 July 2026 launch for TIPS Clone
Central Bank of Montenegro Governor Irena Radovic said digital assets and other financial innovation must develop within clear rules, responsible oversight and safeguards protecting financial stability, consumers and monetary sovereignty, linking this to Montenegro’s payment modernisation agenda. She noted that Montenegro’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area cut cross-border payment costs to the EU and presented work on the TIPS Clone instant euro payments platform with Banca d’Italia, supported by the European Central Bank and the World Bank.