ECB discusses digital euro development and pilot plans

The European Central Bank (ECB) held a joint workshop with Bruegel and the Bank of Finland on March 21, 2026, to discuss the digital euro. The ECB highlighted that 15 out of 21 euro area countries lack a widely used domestic digital payment solution in shops, with nearly two-thirds of card transactions processed by international schemes.

The digital euro aims to provide an additional payment method across the euro area, supporting both online and offline transactions, and ensuring access to public money, privacy, and choice between cash and digital payments.

Finland is noted as a leader in digital payments adoption. The ECB emphasizes the importance of maintaining Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy through the digital euro, which benefits consumers, merchants, and payment service providers by offering lower fees, instant funds, and inclusive access.

The ECB plans a 12-month pilot starting in the second half of 2027, involving real-world transactions and a limited number of participants. Four use cases will be tested: online person-to-person, offline person-to-person, online person-to-business at points of sale, and online person-to-business in e-commerce.

Legislative preparations are ongoing, with the ECB awaiting legislative adoption before deciding on issuing the digital euro. The European Parliament is expected to reach a conclusive position by May 2026. Supporting materials include the ECB’s progress report, FAQs, and legislative opinions.

For more information, contact: digitaleuro@ecb.europa.eu