Digital euro preparations advance as lawmakers face year-end deadline for legal framework
• Swift trilogue conclusion would enable adoption of the Single Currency Package by year-end; first issuance date depends on regulation
• Pilot planned from H2 2027, with 36 payment providers selected; online and mobile merchant selection due early 2027
• Pontes settled a €1bn digitally native ESM bond on 2 November
• Digital euro innovation tests, including conditional payments and AI applications, run January–June 2027
• Support for mandatory cash acceptance, access to cash and resilient cash infrastructure