The European Central Bank has published the final framework for its digital euro pilot program, setting the stage for a phased public launch beginning in the first quarter of 2027. The pilot will initially cover person-to-person payments and point-of-sale transactions in five eurozone countries, with broader rollout planned over the following 18 months.
The framework addresses key concerns around privacy, offline functionality, and holding limits, establishing a maximum individual balance of 3,000 digital euros to prevent bank disintermediation. Transactions below 50 euros will feature enhanced privacy protections similar to cash payments, a provision that privacy advocates had lobbied for extensively.
