The European Central Bank (ECB) has selected 36 payment service providers for a 12-month pilot of the digital euro, scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027. The program will use a beta version of the central bank digital currency (CBDC) to test payments, account setup, merchant acceptance, and offline functionality.
Scope of the Pilot
The pilot is designed to evaluate end-to-end user journeys and core retail payment scenarios. Participants will trial:
- Consumer payments using the beta digital euro
- Account setup and onboarding processes
- Merchant acceptance in point-of-sale and online environments
- Offline functionality for payments without a network connection
Timeline and Participation
The 12-month testing period will start in the second half of 2027. The ECB has invited 36 payment service providers to participate, focusing on practical implementation, interoperability, and real-world usability of the digital euro across retail contexts.
What the Digital Euro Is
The digital euro is a proposed electronic form of central bank money intended for everyday payments. Unlike decentralized cryptocurrencies, it would be issued and governed by the Eurosystem. The pilot will assess how a CBDC could integrate with existing payment infrastructures and improve resilience and accessibility, including when users are offline.
Next Steps
Findings from the pilot will inform the ECB’s assessment of technical design, user experience, and potential rollout options. The pilot does not constitute a decision to issue a digital euro; any move toward issuance would follow separate governance and legislative processes.