ECB Seeks Online Merchants for Digital Euro Pilot

The European Central Bank (ECB) has published a call for online merchants to participate in the digital euro pilot. This is part of the central bank's efforts to assemble an ecosystem for the first real-world test of its central bank digital currency.

The merchant call comes after a busy summer for the digital euro project, with the European Parliament voting to begin trilogue negotiations on enabling legislation in July and the ECB unveiling 36 pilot payment service providers (PSPs).

The selected merchants will integrate the beta digital euro as a payment option on their websites or apps, allowing Eurosystem staff to make purchases during the 12-month trial, which starts in the second half of 2027.