The digital euro would be an electronic means of payment available free of charge for anyone to use. Like cash today, you could use it anywhere in the euro area, and it would be secure and private. In our increasingly digitalised society, the digital euro would be the next step forward for our single currency.

Currently, there is no European digital payment option that covers the entire euro area, with 13 out of 20 countries reliant on international card schemes for card payments. The digital euro would be a European electronic means of payment accessible and accepted in all euro area countries.

The digital euro would be stored in an account set up with your bank or with a public intermediary. You could pay in digital euro either online or offline, with your phone or a card. This means you could pay in a shop or on a website, or send money to friends, anytime, and anywhere. 

We aim to be ready for a potential first issuance of the digital euro during 2029, assuming the necessary EU legislation is adopted in the course of 2026.