Odaily Planet Daily reports that the European Central Bank has announced it is recruiting experts to help develop guidelines for the digital euro in everyday payment scenarios, with a focus on ATMs and merchant card payment terminals.
One working group will define how ATMs and point-of-sale terminals handle digital euro payments, including device connectivity, support for offline transactions, and compatibility with existing payment standards; another working group will design the certification process for payment tools and infrastructure.
In December last year, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde stated that the bank has completed the technical and preparatory work for a digital currency and is now awaiting approval from political institutions. The project is currently under review by the European Council and the European Parliament, and if approved, it is expected to be launched as early as 2029.
Meanwhile, 12 European banks, including BBVA, ING, and BNP Paribas, have formed the Qivalis project, planning to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin in the second half of 2026 to provide a blockchain-based payment solution not reliant on dollar-backed tokens.