The European Central Bank (ECB) said it was looking for experts to help it draft rules for how a digital euro would work in everyday payments, ahead of legislation approving a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and a decision by the bank’s board to issue one.
The ECB has opened applications for experts to help it draft parts of the digital euro regulation specifically relating to ATMs and card payment terminals used in stores, it announced on Thursday.
ECB President Christine Lagarde said in December that the bank had completed its technical and preparatory work on digital currency and that it was now up to political institutions to act. The project, which aims to create a public digital payment method, is currently being examined by the European Council and the European Parliament. If approved, the central bank has signaled a potential rollout by 2029.
A workstream will define how vending machines and point-of-sale terminals process digital payments in euros. This includes how devices connect, how they support offline transactions, and how current payment standards can support the new currency. The aim is to ensure that people pay with a digital euro at checkout or withdraw it from ATMs across the eurozone.
A second group will design a certification process for payment tools and infrastructure. It will define how providers test and approve systems used to accept digital euro payments in stores and payment networks.
While the central bank works on the project, a group of 12 European banks are moving forward with their own version of a euro-pegged token. Banks including BBVA, ING and PNB Paribas have formed Project Qivalis, a plan to roll out a euro-pegged stablecoin in the second half of 2026, aiming to offer blockchain payments without relying on dollar-backed tokens.
