The hub will facilitate the development of blockchain technology and start-ups "which will be based on European values and principles of good corporate governance", communication agency Odmev said on Thursday.

A letter of intent for the centre was signed Wednesday at Government Palace by 13 partners, including educational, research and expert organisations from Slovenia and abroad.

The signatories see the new hub as Slovenia confirming its leading role in blockchain technology.

PM Miro Cerar, President Borut Pahor, European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković are among the supporters.

Support from the public sector abroad came from the Malta Council for Science and Technology, the Luxembourg government and the city of Berlin.

However, this is not the first blockchain initiative in Slovenia.

In March, the Blockchain Think Tank Slovenia was set up at the initiative of the Ministry of Public Administration to facilitate communication and the transfer of know how between private businesses, and the government and regulators.

However, the initiative has not yet brought any major results, so in the absence of legislation that would regulate it, the new technology remains largely self-regulated.