The Eurosystem has opened a call for expression of interest for ecommerce and mobile commerce merchants to join its digital euro pilot.
The call follows the earlier selection of 36 PSPs, in July 2026, that will also participate in the scheme. Merchants accepted into the programme will work alongside the ECB and national central banks to assess how the digital euro might function in real payment environments and to provide feedback that could shape its technical design.
Scope of the pilot
The pilot will test the technical functionality, operational processes, and user experience of a ‘beta digital euro,’ a version intended to be functionally and technically close to the digital euro described in the EU’s draft legislation, though without legal tender status. Participants will include staff from Eurosystem central banks, selected PSPs, and selected merchants, covering both remote ecommerce and mobile commerce settings as well as everyday services such as cafeterias and restaurants at the ECB and national central banks.
Selected merchants will evaluate customer payment journeys, explore integration into existing checkout processes, and share feedback on the customer experience and merchant-side requirements. The ECB has said the exercise intends to inform future design decisions and to ensure merchant needs are reflected in ongoing preparations, should a decision to issue a digital euro be taken. That decision will depend on the adoption of the relevant EU legislation, and the Eurosystem has said its preparations will continue to be adapted in line with the legislative process.
Participation and timeline
Taking part in the pilot is voluntary and unpaid. Selected merchants will need to sign a merchant participation agreement with the ECB and establish or adjust their contractual relationship with an acquiring PSP taking part in the pilot. Applications will be evaluated by the ECB against eligibility requirements and weighted criteria covering market reach, operational readiness, and overall suitability.
The ECB has published a set of FAQs to help merchants prepare their applications and will hold an information session on 6 October 2026 to outline the pilot and application process. Merchants can also submit written questions via a dedicated form up to two weeks before the application deadline. Applications must be submitted to the ECB by 27 October 2026.
Broader context
The pilot itself is expected to run for 12 months, beginning in the second half of 2027, and will aim to replicate, as closely as possible, the core characteristics and functionalities envisaged for a digital euro within a controlled environment. The initiative forms part of the Eurosystem’s wider preparatory work on a potential central bank digital currency for the euro area, alongside the ongoing legislative process at the EU level, aimed at European payment sovereignty.
