Overview
- The ECB published a shortlist of 36 banks and payment service providers on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, after roughly 57 applicants sought to join the trial.
- The pilot is scheduled to run for 12 months starting in the second half of 2027 so participants can test real‑world operations before any legal change is made.
- The trial will use a beta version that is functionally similar to the planned design but will not be legal tender and will test person‑to‑person and person‑to‑business payments both online and offline.
- Named participants include German banks Deutsche Bank, DZ Bank and Helaba, acquirer Payone, RS2 Financial Services, and international firms such as Stripe and Revolut.
- The exercise aims to give Europeans a public digital payment option and reduce reliance on non‑European providers while leaving open questions on privacy, consumer uptake and whether EU legislation will allow a full rollout as early as 2029.