Payments now and into the future - Central Bank announces call to sandbox applicants

The Central Bank of Ireland today (Tuesday 23 September) hosted the “2025 Payments Seminar: Charting a Future Payments Path for Ireland”.

Seminar attendees, from across the public and private sectors, explored how best to achieve the outcomes of the National Payments Strategy and the Eurosystem’s Retail Payment Strategy, across the diverse banking, payments, and fintech sectors in Ireland.

The seminar covered the future evolution of retail and wholesale payments, and the importance of continued public-private engagement in moving towards a more efficient, resilient, and integrated payments ecosystem.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Governor Vasileios Madouros said: “Payments are the lifeblood of the economy, and innovation in payments – done well and safely – can unlock broader economic benefits. Amid a rapid pace of innovation in the payments landscape, the Central Bank also needs to adapt – we cannot stand still. Our ultimate aim is to ensure that the benefits of innovation are realised and that the risks are managed effectively, maintaining confidence in money and payments throughout this ongoing transition.

This is why we chose the theme of our second Innovation Sandbox Programme to be “Innovation in Payments”.  The Sandbox provides an opportunity to further expand engagement between the Central Bank and the private sector in the area of payments. It aims to foster innovative solutions that deliver safer, faster and more inclusive payments for households and businesses, while giving the Central Bank early insight into emerging risks and supervisory questions.

Today, we are opening our call for applications to the Sandbox. We welcome applicants at every stage of their development, from start-ups to incumbents, and all points between. We are also interested in receiving applications from partnerships. If you are a firm or a partnership developing a product or service that uses innovative technology to deliver better payments outcomes for consumers of financial services, we invite you to consider making an application.”

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

Further information on the Sandbox is available on our website, along with the selection criteria and application form. The Innovation Sandbox programme will commence in January 2026 and will take place over six months to allow the innovation develop.