ECB Opens Digital Euro Pilot Applications for Online Merchants

The European Central Bank (ECB) has opened applications for online merchants to participate in a controlled pilot of the digital euro, its proposed retail central bank digital currency. The move brings the 2027 test closer to online checkout, but it does not put an issued digital euro into public circulation.

Eligible merchants have until October 27 at 17:00 CET to apply for the pilot, which will connect them with 36 payment providers selected by the ECB in July. The beta will test real online payment flows and user experience under controlled conditions without making the instrument ordinary public money.

The digital euro pilot's operational phase is expected to begin in the second half of 2027 and will last for 12 months, with the possibility of being extended by up to six months. The exercise will inform technical work but will not decide whether to issue a digital euro.