# European Central Bank digital euro development > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/european-central-bank-digital-euro-development > Updated: 2026-10-04T10:08:00.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 5. The European Central Bank (ECB) has initiated steps toward a digital euro pilot program by calling for expressions of interest from e-commerce and mobile-commerce merchants within the eurozone. Scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027, the 12-month pilot will utilize a beta version of the currency that does not hold legal tender status. The program aims to evaluate technical functionality, user experience, and payment flows in both online and offline environments, including mobile and peer-to-peer scenarios. To support this infrastructure, the ECB has already selected 36 payment service providers, including institutions such as Deutsche Bank, UniCredit, BPCE, Revolut, and Stripe. The pilot is expected to involve 19 national central banks. As part of the Digital Euro Innovation Platform launched in 2024, the ECB has entered a new preparatory phase by inviting fintech companies, payment service providers, merchants, and research institutions to propose solutions for upcoming testing. This initiative is divided into two tracks: experimentation and exploration. The experimentation phase, slated for the first half of 2027, focuses on developing prototypes for services such as electronic receipts, multi-payer/multi-payee transactions, and conditional payments. The exploration phase will investigate technological developments to enhance the underlying infrastructure. Applications for participation must be submitted by November 9, 2026. A key technical feature under testing is the Digital Euro Access Number (DEAN), designed to facilitate easier transfers without revealing the user’s country. While the pilot advances technical readiness, the actual issuance of a digital euro remains dependent on future European legislation, with a potential retail issuance targeted for 2029. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-04: European Central Bank seeks merchants for digital euro pilot The European Central Bank is inviting eurozone merchants to join a digital euro pilot starting in late 2027 to test a beta version of a retail central bank digital currency. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-central-bank-seeks-merchants-for-digital-euro-pilot-2 ### 2026-09-29: European Central Bank invites firms to test digital euro The European Central Bank is inviting fintechs and businesses to participate in digital euro testing scheduled for 2027, focusing on AI, automated payments, and new digital infrastructure. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-central-bank-invites-firms-to-test-digital-euro ### 2026-09-26: European Union negotiates legal framework for digital euro EU institutions are negotiating the legal framework for a digital euro, with key debates centering on data privacy, anonymity thresholds, and offline payment security ahead of a projected 2029 launch. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-union-negotiates-legal-framework-for-digital-euro ### 2026-09-23: European Central Bank targets 2029 for digital euro launch The European Central Bank plans to pilot a digital euro in 2027, with a potential launch in 2029 to reduce reliance on US payment providers and introduce a new DEAN identifier. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-central-bank-targets-2029-for-digital-euro-launch ### 2026-09-15: European Central Bank recruits merchants for 2027 digital euro pilot The ECB is recruiting eurozone e-commerce merchants for a 12-month digital euro pilot starting in late 2027. Official issuance remains contingent on EU legislation, with a potential 2029 launch. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-central-bank-seeks-merchants-for-digital-euro-pilot --- Cite as: European Central Bank digital euro development. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/european-central-bank-digital-euro-development