The European Central Bank calls on e-commerce merchants to participate in the digital euro pilot, aiming for issuance in 2029

According to CoinDesk, the European Central Bank (ECB) called on e-commerce and mobile commerce merchants in the Eurozone on Tuesday to participate in the digital euro pilot program, preparing for the potential issuance of a retail central bank digital currency in 2029. The pilot will test the technology, operational processes, and user experience of the currency's beta version, which, while similar to the digital euro, is not legal tender.

The pilot will last for 12 months and is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2027, with the final issuance still requiring legislative and management committee decisions. In the weeks prior, the European Central Bank selected 36 banks and payment institutions to participate in the testing phase. The pilot will involve the European Central Bank, the central banks of 19 Eurozone countries, and selected merchants, with central bank staff testing scenarios such as online and offline transfers between individuals, in-store payments, e-commerce, and mobile commerce payments.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde stated that the digital euro is essential for maintaining European monetary sovereignty and reducing dependence on dollar-pegged stablecoins. The European Central Bank believes that the proliferation of private dollar stablecoins like Tether's USDT and Circle's USDC poses a threat to European monetary autonomy. Isadora Arredondo, Vice President of Global Policy at Hedera, stated that the success of the digital euro depends more on commercial viability, and merchants need incentives, while payment service providers may consider lowering the fees for merchants accepting digital euro payments.