ECB targets 2029 launch of digital euro as cash complement amid privacy‑focused EU law push

The European Central Bank (ECB) plans to issue the first central‑bank digital euro in 2029. The digital currency is intended to supplement, not replace, cash and will support offline payments that preserve privacy similar to physical money. Payments would be processed through a new European infrastructure rather than traditional card schemes, and the ECB emphasizes that the digital euro will be a direct liability of the central bank, distinct from private cryptocurrencies.

EU lawmaker Gerald Hauser has called for strict legal safeguards to protect cash freedom and personal data. He warns that online digital‑euro transactions could be fully tracked, eroding anonymity, and urges legislation that guarantees mandatory acceptance, universal access, and protection against digital payment pressure. Hauser also questions proposed limits on digital‑euro holdings and demands clear statutory duties for data protection.

Both the ECB’s rollout plan and Hauser’s parliamentary request shape the emerging regulatory framework for the digital euro in the euro area.