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ECB teams with ECPC, nexo and Berlin Group to reuse open payment standards, cutting digital euro integration costs and clearing the path to a 2027 pilot, 2029 launch.<\/p>\n
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The European Central Bank (ECB) has signed agreements with three European standards bodies to reuse existing open technical specifications for processing digital euro payments, in a bid to lower integration costs and accelerate adoption across the euro area. Under the deals, European Card Payment Cooperation (ECPC), nexo standards, and the Berlin Group will align their frameworks so that payment providers can support digital euro transactions without expensive, bespoke upgrades to point-of-sale terminals and online systems.<\/p>\n
The standards in scope include ECPC\u2019s CPACE protocol for tap\u2011to\u2011pay near-field communication, nexo\u2019s ISO 20022\u2011based acceptance specifications, and Berlin Group\u2019s open interfaces for account-to-account and card-based payments. By building the digital euro on top of these existing rails, the ECB wants to offer \u201ca European free alternative to current proprietary standards\u201d dominated by global card schemes and digital wallets, according to Executive Board member Piero Cipollone. \u201cThe open digital euro standards will provide a European free alternative to current proprietary standards, make it easier for new European providers to enter the market and give European payment service providers and merchants the certainty they need to invest, innovate and compete across the euro area,\u201d Cipollone said.<\/p>\n
The ECB argues that reusing open standards should minimize scheme and implementation costs at a time when banks face multibillion\u2011euro IT bills to adapt to a potential central bank digital currency. Earlier estimates cited by Reuters suggested a digital euro rollout could cost European banks between \u20ac4 billion and \u20ac6 billion over four years, or roughly 3% of their annual IT maintenance budgets, underscoring why avoiding custom builds matters for political buy\u2011in.<\/p>\n
Ana Grade, CEO of ECPC, called the deal \u201ca major step\u201d for her consortium\u2019s CPACE standard, saying it will \u201cfurther enhance the standard\u2019s visibility and market presence\u201d as part of the digital euro project. Jean\u2011Philippe Joliveau, chairman of nexo standards, added that the cooperation \u201cconfirms the position of nexo standards as an international and collaborative standardisation body for payment acceptance, supporting interoperability across the payments ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The agreements land as EU lawmakers work to finalize the digital euro regulation, which is expected to be adopted in 2026 and unlock full-scale investments by payment firms. The ECB has said it plans to publish the complete technical standards by this summer, with a 12\u2011month pilot focused on person\u2011to\u2011person and point\u2011of\u2011sale payments scheduled from the second half of 2027 and potential issuance readiness around 2029 if the legal framework is approved.<\/p>\n
Officials frame the digital euro as a way to strengthen Europe\u2019s monetary sovereignty and reduce reliance on non\u2011European payment giants such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal, while giving merchants access to a low\u2011fee, publicly backed payment option alongside cash and bank deposits. \u201cThis partnership shows our strong commitment to making sure the digital euro works with existing European standards that the private sector can also use,\u201d Cipollone said, arguing that early standardization is key to a smooth rollout.<\/p>\n
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