ECB Taps Fintechs to Explore AI-Powered Digital Euro Payments
The European Central Bank (ECB) has opened up a call for fintechs and payment firms to explore the use of artificial intelligence agents in digital euro payments. The experimentation program, which will run from January to June 2027, aims to develop prototypes for e-receipts, multiparty transactions, conditional payments, and new user interfaces.
The ECB has also selected 36 entities, including Revolut, Stripe, and Deutsche Bank, for a separate pilot that will kick off in the second half of 2027. The goal is to explore advanced use cases for the future European Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
The program is divided into two tracks: hands-on experimentation and thematic workshops. Participants will develop prototypes and present their findings at the ECB's headquarters in Frankfurt.