ECB Targets 2029 Digital Euro Launch After Massive 2027 Pilot

The European Central Bank is maintaining 2029 as its target for issuing a digital euro, with a 12-month pilot set to begin in the second half of 2027, Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said. The timeline keeps the eurozone's retail CBDC project on a multi-year path that would follow the pilot before any potential issuance. The plan matters because it sets the clearest schedule yet for the ECB's digital currency work, which could reshape how euro-area payments are settled and how commercial banks and payment providers integrate with central bank money. What to watch next is whether the 2027 pilot launches on schedule and whether EU lawmakers finalize the legislative framework needed before issuance.