EU Digital Euro
European Central Bank
Status
Architecture
Cross-Border Projects
No cross-border projects reported.
Capabilities
Frequently Asked Questions
Does European Union have a CBDC?
Yes, European Union is developing EU Digital Euro, currently in research phase.
What is the status of European Union's CBDC?
EU Digital Euro is in research phase as of 2026-02-17. The central bank is conducting research and feasibility studies.
When did European Union launch its CBDC pilot?
No pilot launch date has been announced yet. The project is currently in research phase.
How many people use European Union's CBDC?
User and wallet metrics are not publicly available at this time.
Is European Union's CBDC retail or wholesale?
EU Digital Euro is a retail CBDC designed for public use in everyday transactions.
Which central bank manages EU Digital Euro?
EU Digital Euro is managed by European Central Bank.
Recent Developments
According to the European Central Bank (ECB), the Digital Euro project entered the implementation phase on October 30, 2025, following the completion of the preparation phase (November 2023 - October 2025). The preparation phase achieved: draft digital euro scheme rulebook development, service provider selection for system components, innovation platform for market experimentation, and extensive user research. Key technical milestone in October 2025: ECB selected Giesecke+Devrient, Nexi, and Capgemini to deliver offline payment solutions. Legislative timeline: European Parliament ECON Committee vote expected May/June 2026, with potential Digital Euro Regulation adoption in 2026. If legislation passes, pilot exercise could begin mid-2027 with potential first issuance in 2029. Design features include: offline functionality via NFC for peer-to-peer and in-store payments without internet; privacy protections with cash-like privacy for offline transactions; two-tier intermediary model with ECB issuing and banks/PSPs as intermediaries; universal acceptance across euro area; free basic use as a public good. The Parliament adopted amendments on February 10, 2026, endorsing a dual-mode (online and offline) digital euro.
Updated: 2/17/2026