The European Central Bank has outlined a comprehensive strategy for the introduction of a digital euro, with a pilot exercise starting in 2027 and a target for first issuance by 2029.
The European Central Bank (ECB) published a comprehensive digital euro strategy on 9 December 2025, detailing plans to develop a digital currency to complement physical cash, while addressing Europe’s strategic and technological independence. The proposed digital euro is designed to work both online and offline, offering privacy protection and providing a European-owned digital payments solution across the euro area.
ECB leaders Piero Cipollone and Valdis Dombrovskis underlined the importance of the initiative, stressing that a digital euro would reduce dependence on non-European payment providers. The project is dependent on the adoption of legislation in 2026, and pilot exercises are scheduled to begin in mid-2027. “A digital euro is an idea whose time has come,” the authors say, positioning the currency as an important step in Europe’s technological evolution.
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🧭Frequently Asked Questions
• When will the digital euro be available? Publication is targeted for 2029, with pilot exercises potentially starting in 2027.
• How many countries use the digital euro? There are 21 countries in the Eurozone, including Bulgaria, which will join in 2026.
• Will physical cash be replaced? No, the digital euro is designed to complement, not replace, existing cash.
• What is your main goal? Strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in digital payments.
