ECB seeks merchants for 12-month digital euro pilot starting in H2 next year

The European Central Bank is recruiting e-commerce and mobile commerce merchants to join a 12-month digital euro pilot set to begin in the second half of next year, CoinDesk reported. According to CoinDesk, the pilot will test online and offline payments using a test alternative currency that resembles the digital euro but is not legal tender, ahead of a formal launch in 2029. The outlet said the ECB’s merchant recruitment carries significance beyond a simple technical test, as consumers will need a sufficient number of participating merchants to use the digital euro. CoinDesk added the project’s success is likely to depend on broad merchant adoption and low payment fees.