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European Central Bank recruits merchants for 2027 digital euro pilot
The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched a call for e-commerce and mobile commerce merchants within the eurozone to participate in a digital euro pilot program. This initiative marks a transition from technical design to real-world payment testing.
Selected merchants will test a beta version of the digital euro, which will not have legal tender status, to evaluate user experience, technical functionality, and payment flows in online and offline scenarios. The pilot is expected to run for 12 months, starting in the second half of 2027. The ECB has already selected 36 payment service providers to support the necessary infrastructure.
Potential full issuance of the digital euro is targeted for 2029 at the earliest, contingent upon the European Union passing the necessary legislative framework. The application deadline for interested merchants is October 27, 2026.
Entities
Deutsche Bank · Digital Euro Service Platform · European Central Bank · Eurosystem · Piero Cipollone · UniCredit
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The digital euro used during the pilot will be a beta version and will not have legal tender status. www.kriptoworld.hu · kryptolehti.fi · cryptoslate.com · ethnews.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The ECB previously selected 36 payment service providers to support the pilot infrastructure. blockcast.it · newsbit.nl · www.crypto-insiders.nl · www.cointribune.com · cryptoslate.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] The ECB has opened applications for e-commerce and mobile commerce merchants to participate in a digital euro pilot. blockcast.it · www.kriptoworld.hu · kryptolehti.fi · newsbit.nl · www.crypto-insiders.nl · +4 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] The digital euro pilot is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027 and will run for 12 months. blockcast.it · www.kriptoworld.hu · kryptolehti.fi · newsbit.nl · www.crypto-insiders.nl · +4 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The first official issuance of the digital euro could occur as early as 2029. blockcast.it · newsbit.nl · kryptolehti.fi · ethnews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The actual issuance of the digital euro is contingent upon the adoption of EU legislation. blockcast.it · newsbit.nl · ethnews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The pilot will test various use cases, including P2P transfers and online/offline merchant payments. kryptolehti.fi · newsbit.nl
- [● 8 SOURCES] The deadline for merchants to apply for the pilot is October 27, 2026. blockcast.it · www.kriptoworld.hu · kryptolehti.fi · www.crypto-insiders.nl · www.it-boltwise.de · +3 more