European Commission to Launch Digital Euro Consultations in March, Propose Bill Early Next Year

The executive arm of the EU is gearing up to start public consultations on the digital euro project next month. The European Commission will also prepare new legislation to establish the legal basis for the digital version of the common European fiat. A draft is expected in 2023. EU Finance Chief Announces Legislative Plan for … Read more

Euro Inflation Hits Record Highs, ECB Not in Rush to Raise Interest Rates

The European Central Bank is concerned over inflation in the euro area rising beyond its own expectations, a high-ranking ECB official has admitted. However, Europe’s monetary authority is not prepared to raise interest rates at this point in time, the executive unveiled. ECB Sees No Reason to Adjust Interest Rates Despite Eurozone Inflation Reaching 5% … Read more

ECB Paper Marks Success Factors for CBDCs, Digital Euro

A paper published by the European Central Bank (ECB) discusses various conditions for successful implementation of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) such as the eurozone’s own digital euro. The authors also point to different risks that such projects entail, like the danger of crowding out the private sector. ECB: Digital Euro Should Be Widely Used … Read more

Eurosystem Approves New Oversight Framework Concerning Crypto Services

The monetary authority of the euro area, the Eurosystem, has introduced a new framework for overseeing electronic payments, including services related to crypto assets. The new set of rules will complement upcoming EU regulations for cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. ECB Aims for Secure and Efficient Digital Payments Through Improved Oversight Following public consultations on the matter, … Read more

Digital Euro Should Be Attractive But Not ‘Too Successful,’ ECB’s Panetta Says

The digital euro should be an attractive means of payment but its design should prevent it from becoming so successful as a store of value that it threatens banks and private money, according to Fabio Panetta, a high-ranking executive at the European Central Bank. Panetta stressed that both this paradox as well as the need … Read more

Future of Digital Euro ‘Not Clear Yet,’ Former Eurogroup Official Says

Europe’s digital currency project has made some progress recently, with the Eurozone’s central bank moving to its next stage. Critics point, however, to the continuing lack of clarity around the design and purpose of the digital euro after a decade-long delay, if cryptocurrency is taken as a benchmark. Digital Euro to ‘Feel Like a Prepaid … Read more

Digital Euro Project Gets Going as ECB Launches Investigation Phase

After months of deliberation, the European Central Bank has decided to proceed with a digital euro project. Officials insist the new version of Europe’s common currency should “ensure privacy” and provide access to “the safest form of money” at a “negligible” cost to the environment, in comparison with bitcoin. Eurosystem Initiates Digital Euro Project The … Read more

Bank of France, Swiss Crypto Bank Test Securities Settlement Using CBDC

The Bank of France has successfully completed an experiment involving the use of CBDC to settle listed securities. The test has been carried out with the help of an alliance of partners led by SEBA Bank, a digital asset banking provider based in the Swiss crypto valley. Central Bank and Crypto Company Conduct Successful CBDC … Read more

Swiss, French Central Banks to Trial Wholesale CBDC Settlements With BIS and Private Sector

The central banks of Switzerland and France are joining hands with the Bank for International Settlements to test wholesale central bank digital currencies in cross-border transactions. The experiment will be conducted with the help of a private sector consortium led by Accenture. European Central Banks to Collaborate on CBDC Project The Swiss National Bank (SNB), … Read more

ECB: Digital Euro to Boost Global Appeal of European Money, Fight ‘Artificial Currencies’

The digitization of traditional currencies like the euro has the potential to increase their international appeal, the European Central Bank says in a new report. A failure to offer a digital currency would endanger financial stability, ECB warns. The regulator is concerned about the prospect of tech giants dominating payments through their “artificial currencies.” Eurozone’s … Read more