ECB plans to launch digital euro in 2029, with first applications covering online shopping, physical stores, and person-to-person transfers

Odaily News: An internal presentation document shows that the European Central Bank wants the digital euro to be usable at all online stores in the euro area, some physical retail stores, and for direct person-to-person transfers from the moment of its official launch. This means the ECB is considering expanding the scope of use for the digital euro's initial rollout to accelerate the establishment of a digital payment system covering online, offline, and person-to-person payment scenarios.

The document states that the digital euro is planned for its first issuance in the second half of 2029, and physical store payments and person-to-person transfers should support both online and offline transactions. Previously, physical store payments had not been included in the digital euro's initial rollout plan.