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ECB selects 36 firms for a digital euro pilot
The 12-month pilot is set to begin in the second half of 2027 and will test offline and in-store payments with central bank staff as users.
The European Central Bank has selected 36 banks and payment firms to take part in a 12-month digital euro pilot scheduled to start in the second half of 2027, according to CoinDesk.
The group includes Deutsche Bank and Revolut, along with Adyen, SumUp, UniCredit and Worldline. The pilot will test a beta version of the digital euro for online, offline, in-store and e-commerce payments, using ECB and euro-area national central bank staff as consumers.
The ECB said the project is aimed at potential issuance by 2029, subject to legislation and Governing Council approval. It added that the pilot will cover offline and online transfers between individuals, as well as payments to selected merchants including restaurants, cafeterias and online sellers.
CoinDesk noted the ECB is moving toward operational testing even though enabling legislation has not been finalized. The central bank is also signaling concern about private dollar-backed stablecoins, describing their adoption as a threat to Europe’s monetary autonomy.