ECB opens applications for digital euro pilot for merchants

The European Central Bank has opened applications for online merchants to participate in a controlled pilot of the digital euro, set for 2027. The application deadline is 17:00 CET on Oct. 27, allowing EU-established e-commerce and mobile-commerce businesses to apply. Applicants must serve customers in at least two euro-area countries and have an active platform capable of integrating the test payment flow. The pilot will not constitute a legal-tender digital euro and aims to test payment processes and user experience under controlled conditions. Selected merchants will need to contract with one of the 36 payment service providers chosen by the ECB in July. This setup allows the pilot to assess both user access and merchant acceptance of the beta service. Participation is voluntary and unpaid, testing the integration of the proposed payment flow into existing operations. The operational phase is expected to begin in the second half of 2027, with a potential extension of up to six months. The pilot will inform technical work but will not determine the issuance of a digital euro, which remains under legislative discussion.

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