ECB selects 36 PSPs to join digital euro pilot

The European Central Bank (ECB) has selected 36 payment service providers (PSP) from across the euro area to participate in the digital euro pilot. Following a call for expression of interest in March 2026, the Eurosystem received more than 50 applications from PSPs, reflecting strong interest and engagement from the market. Applicants were evaluated based on a set of pre-defined eligibility criteria. The selected participants, including banks and non-bank service providers, span a broad range of business models and sizes and offer broad geographical coverage, ensuring a diverse and representative testing and learning environment for the digital euro.

“The strong market interest in the pilot shows the private sector’s readiness to engage actively and quickly advance with the digital euro project to strengthen the European payments landscape,” said ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone, who chairs the High-Level Task Force on a digital euro. “We look forward to deeper engagement as we work with and learn alongside European payment service providers in developing a secure, efficient and inclusive digital euro.”

The pilot will use a beta version of the digital euro. It will be functionally and technically close to the digital euro as foreseen in the draft legislation but will not have legal tender status.