The digital euro would be a digital form of cash, issued by the central bank and available to everyone in the euro area.
We are working with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the rest national central banks of the euro area to look into the possible issuance of the digital euro. It would be a central bank digital currency, an electronic equivalent to cash. And it would complement banknotes and coins, giving people an additional choice about how to pay.
The digital euro project is moving forward, backed by high-level political support and shared commitment across Member States.
Building on the preparation phase, which ran from November 2023 to October 2025, the ECB’s Governing Council decided that the Eurosystem will move to the next phase of the digital euro project. ECB is advancing its technical work and continuing to support the legislative process. If EU lawmakers adopt the regulation in the course of 2026, the digital euro could be issued during 2029.
The ECB regularly document the progress of the project in comprehensive reports.
What you need to know