Macro· ★★★· neutral·

ECB begins testing digital euro in shops and points of sale

  • Tests are taking place in real shops and at checkouts to assess integration with cash registers and TPVs
  • The design provides for offline small-value payments with cash-level anonymity
  • Storage limits in digital wallets are planned for citizens to protect bank deposits
  • For merchants — lower fees and instant settlements directly from the central bank
Why it matters: The pilot will determine the timing and terms of a large-scale digital euro launch, which could change payment competition and affect stablecoins in the EU.
Source: Bit2Me News