TL;DR
- The ECB opened two RDG workstreams seeking experts to define how a digital euro would function across ATMs, payment terminals and acceptance infrastructure under proposed rules.
- One group will set ATM and terminal specifications, while another will shape testing, certification and approval rules for payment solutions and infrastructure.
- The ECB is targeting a 2027 pilot with selected PSPs, merchants and Eurosystem staff, although issuance still depends on legislation pending approval.
The European Central Bank is moving deeper into the machinery of a potential digital euro, and the latest step is notably practical. The project is no longer just policy theory, but infrastructure planning. In an announcement published Wednesday, the ECB opened applications for two workstreams under its Rulebook Development Group, seeking industry experts to help shape how the CBDC would function across ATMs, payment terminals and acceptance infrastructure. The focus includes how a digital euro could plug into existing payment systems and hardware, while supporting offline transactions and interoperability across European standards in daily use.
Why the Digital Euro Push Is Becoming Harder to Ignore
That shift matters because it marks a more tangible phase in a project many critics already view warily. The ECB is asking the market to help design the rails of a state-backed digital currency. One workstream will draft implementation specifications for ATM and terminal providers, including communication technologies, offline functionality and the reuse of existing payment standards. The second will develop proposals for testing, certification and approval processes for payment solutions and infrastructure used by payment service providers inside the digital euro ecosystem. Selected experts, the ECB said, will provide technical input for a standardized rulebook.
The central bank’s language also suggests the digital euro is edging away from abstract consultation and toward technical assembly. Implementation planning is beginning to overtake debate. The workstreams will report to the RDG, a body that includes representatives from merchants, payment service providers and consumers. According to the ECB, the initiative is meant to define how the digital euro would operate across existing infrastructure, not build a separate payments universe from scratch. That may sound efficient, but it underscores how the institution is preparing to embed CBDC functionality into hardware if the project receives approval.
The timeline shows the process is advancing before the final political green light arrives. The ECB is planning for rollout while insisting issuance is not yet decided. The bank has previously said it aims to start selecting EU-licensed payment service providers ahead of a 12-month pilot expected in the second half of 2027. ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said on Feb. 18 that the pilot would involve a limited number of merchants, Eurosystem staff and PSPs. Still, the ECB added that any decision to issue the euro will come only after legislation is adopted.