ECB Selects 36 Payment Providers for Digital Euro Pilot Launching in H2 2027

According to the European Central Bank announcement on July 14, the ECB selected 36 eurozone payment service providers (PSPs) to participate in the digital euro pilot. The 12-month pilot will launch in the second half of 2027 and test digital euro payments, offline transactions, e-commerce, and retail consumption functionalities. Participants include Deutsche Bank, Adyen, Revolut Bank, Stripe Technology Europe, and Worldline, chosen from over 50 applicants.

The ECB said it aims to be ready for a potential digital euro issuance by 2029 if the EU passes digital euro legislation in 2026, with a final decision on formal launch pending.