Macro· ★★★· neutral·

ECB Invites Firms to Test Digital Euro Payment Features

  • —ECB launched the New Wave of Digital Euro Innovation Activities on September 28, 2026
  • —Applications are open until November 9, 2026
  • —Merchants, payment service providers, fintechs and tech firms are invited to apply
  • —A separate merchant pilot will test a beta version of the digital euro in a controlled setting
Why it matters: Progress on the digital euro intensifies competition with private stablecoins and shapes EU regulation of digital payments.
Source: Coin Edition
More on this
Macro · Sep 15
ECB invites merchants to digital euro pilot in 2027
 Macro · yesterday
ECB puts AI agent payments on the digital euro drawing board
 Macro · Sep 17
ECB begins testing digital euro in shops and points of sale