欧洲央行启动数字欧元试点，德意志银行、Revolut等36家机构入选

Odaily Odaily reported that the European Central Bank has selected 36 banks and payment companies to participate in the digital euro pilot project, preparing for the potential issuance of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in 2029. Selected institutions include Deutsche Bank, Revolut, Adyen, SumUp, UniCredit, and Worldline. The list was whittled down from 50 applicants.

The digital euro pilot is scheduled to launch in the second half of next year and will last for 12 months. It will test a beta version of the digital euro in various payment scenarios, including online person-to-person transfers, offline payments, in-store payments, and e-commerce payments. The pilot will cover the European Central Bank and the central banks of 19 eurozone countries. ECB employees and staff from national central banks will participate as users, while some restaurants, cafes, and online merchants will support digital euro payments.

Although the digital euro does not yet have legal tender status, its design will closely align with the relevant legislative framework currently being developed by the European Union. The European Central Bank stated that a final decision on issuing the digital euro will still depend on the passage of relevant regulations and a subsequent decision by the ECB's Governing Council.

One of the key reasons for the ECB's push for a digital euro is concern that the growth of private dollar-backed stablecoins could impact Europe's monetary sovereignty. In recent years, dollar-backed stablecoins like Tether's USDT and Circle's USDC have grown rapidly in global payments, drawing the attention of European regulators to financial autonomy.

However, the CBDC project still faces privacy controversies. Some privacy advocacy groups worry that a central bank digital currency could lead to transaction tracking and even pose a risk of restricted account access. In contrast, the United States recently passed legislation limiting the Federal Reserve System from issuing a digital dollar before the end of 2030.

Currently, Europe's digital euro project is entering its practical testing phase, while EU legislative bodies are advancing the related legal framework. If the regulatory process goes smoothly, the digital euro could be officially launched as early as 2029. (CoinDesk)