Trends
ECB releases second progress report on digital euro
What happened: Digital euro The European Central Bank (ECB) has released its second progress report on the digital euro, marking significant steps in its potential launch. Since the first report, the ECB has updated its digital euro rulebook to standardise payments across the euro area. It has also …

Headline
What happened: Digital euro The European Central Bank (ECB) has released its second progress report on the digital euro, marking significant steps in its potential launch. Since the first report, the ECB has updated its digital euro rulebook to standardise payments across the…
Context
The European Central Bank (ECB) has released its second progress report on the digital euro , marking significant steps in its potential launch. Since the first report, the ECB has updated its digital euro rulebook to standardise payments across the euro area. It has also concluded a call for applications to select providers for digital euro components and services, with tenders to be finalised next year. New user research and experimentation have begun, focusing on small merchants and vulnerable consumers. These findings will be published in mid-2025 to guide further decisions.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
The ECB is partnering with stakeholders, including merchants, payment providers, and fintech firms, to test conditional payments and explore other digital euro use cases. Meanwhile, it is collaborating with national central banks to develop a methodology for setting digital euro holding limits. Testing will begin in 2025. A decision on advancing to the next phase will be made by the end of 2025. Also read: European Central Bank trial to explore DLT for wholesale transactions Also read: Europe’s Digital Services Act applies in full from February 18 The release of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) second progress report on the digital euro marks a crucial milestone towards its potential launch. The ECB updates the digital euro rulebook to harmonise payments across the euro area. This will, in turn, improve efficiency and consistency in the region’s payment systems. Furthermore, the ECB has concluded its call for applications and selected providers for essential digital euro services. It plans to finalise the tenders next year.
Key Points
- The ECB has updated its digital euro rulebook, selected providers, and initiated user research, with findings to be published in mid-2025.
- The ECB is collaborating with stakeholders to test conditional payments and develop a methodology for holding limits, with decisions on the next phase due by the end of 2025.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.





