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Timeline and progress on a digital euro

The preparation phase of the project started in November 2023 and is laying the foundations for the potential issuance of a digital euro. This includes finalising the digital euro scheme rulebook and selecting providers that could potentially develop a digital euro platform and infrastructure. The preparation phase involves extensive testing and experimentation, as well as regular exchanges with the public and other stakeholders, to ensure that a digital euro would meet user needs and the Eurosystem's requirements.

We regularly document the progress of the project in comprehensive reports.

Progress on a digital euro

Preparation phase – part 1

Privacy by design

Privacy and data protection are an integral part of the digital euro. The digital euro would be designed with state-of-the-art privacy measures. With its offline functionality, it would offer a level of privacy close to cash.

Find out more about the digital euro and privacy
A seamless payment experience across Europe

A digital euro would be the first public, European digital means of payment. It would rely on a digital euro rulebook: a single set of rules, standards and procedures to ensure digital euro payments work in the same way across the entire euro area.

Read more about the digital euro rulebook
Designing a digital euro

We are working to ensure a digital euro meets user needs for online and offline payments. We have been looking into the implications of the number of digital euro accounts permitted per user, holding limits for these accounts, a digital euro app and many other facets.

Read about our design progress

Progress report

How is work progressing on digital euro privacy, rulebook and design choices?

Read the full progress report

For the media

This report summarises the progress made during the first part of the preparation phase launched in November 2023 and outlines the next steps.

Read the press release

Digital euro project timeline

In October 2020 the ECB published a report on a digital euro examining the potential issuance of a central bank digital currency – a digital euro – by the Eurosystem.

Nine months later the ECB's Governing Council took the decision to launch the digital euro project. The project’s investigation phase ran from October 2021 to October 2023 and involved studying design options and distribution models in close cooperation with stakeholders such as EU policymakers and market participants. The findings formed the basis for the decision to launch the preparation phase, which started in November 2023.

View and download a high-level project timeline

The decision on whether to ultimately issue a digital euro will only be considered at a later stage, once the European Union’s legislative process has been completed.

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