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Timeline and progress on a digital euro

The preparation phase of the project began in November 2023 and is laying the foundations for the potential issuance of a digital euro. This includes finalising the digital euro scheme rulebook and selecting providers that could potentially develop a digital euro platform and infrastructure. The preparation phase involves extensive testing and experimentation, as well as regular exchanges with the public and other stakeholders, to ensure that a digital euro would meet user needs and the Eurosystem’s requirements.

We regularly document the progress of the project in comprehensive reports.

Progress on a digital euro

Preparation phase

Integrating and enhancing Europe’s payment landscape

The digital euro aims to provide access to public money in a way that keeps pace with the digital age, benefiting consumers, merchants and payment service providers. It would ensure fair fees for merchants, offer high privacy for consumers and support the European payments landscape.

Find out more about how a digital euro would fit into the European payments ecosystem
A seamless payment experience across Europe

The digital euro scheme rulebook would make payments easier and more consistent across the euro area. It is being developed to include feedback from consumers, retailers and payment service providers.

Read more about developing the digital euro rulebook
Shaping the digital euro through user research

We are conducting new research to better understand what people would want from the digital euro. We are also partnering with key stakeholders to test innovative payment methods and use cases.

Read about our user research and experimentation

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Progress report

How is work progressing on the digital euro project?

Read the full progress report

For the media

This report summarises the progress made during the preparation phase between May and October 2024 and outlines the next steps.

Read the press release

Digital euro project timeline

In October 2020 the ECB published a report on a digital euro that examines the potential issuance of a central bank digital currency – a digital euro – by the Eurosystem.

Nine months later the ECB's Governing Council decided to launch the digital euro project. The project’s investigation phase ran from October 2021 to October 2023 and involved studying design options and distribution models in close cooperation with stakeholders such as EU policymakers and market participants. The findings formed the basis for the decision to launch the preparation phase, which started in November 2023.

View and download a high-level project timeline

The decision on whether to issue the digital euro will only be considered at a later stage once the European Union’s legislative process has been completed.

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