Digital euro pilot: ECB opens call for e-commerce and m-commerce merchants
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Editorial TeamPublished on
The ECB invites e-commerce and m-commerce merchants in the euro area to join the digital euro pilot. Apply by 27 October 2026. See how it works.
The Eurosystem has launched a call for expression of interest for the digital euro pilot. It invites e-commerce and mobile commerce (m-commerce) merchants operating in the euro area to take part. The call was published on 15 September 2026 and follows the selection of the payment service providers (PSPs) that will join the pilot. Merchants can apply until 27 October 2026.
At a glance
- What: a call for e-commerce and m-commerce merchants to join the digital euro pilot
- Who can apply: e-commerce and m-commerce merchants operating in the euro area
- Deadline: 17:00 CET on Tuesday, 27 October 2026
- How to apply: send the application to digitaleuro-pilotmerchant@ecb.europa.eu
- Information session: Tuesday, 6 October 2026 at 15:00 CET
- Pilot start: planned for the second half of 2027, running for 12 months
- Currency tested: a “beta digital euro” without legal tender status
What is the digital euro pilot?
The digital euro pilot will test the technical functionality, operational processes and overall user experience of the digital euro. It will use a beta version of the digital euro. This “beta digital euro” will be functionally and technically close to the digital euro foreseen in the draft legislation, but it will not have legal tender status.
The pilot is planned to start in the second half of 2027 and run for 12 months. It will validate the infrastructure in real-life situations, such as in-shop and person-to-person payments, and check that the system is robust, user-friendly and scalable. The results will support ongoing preparatory work for a potential issuance of a digital euro.
Who takes part in the digital euro pilot?
Participants will include:
- 36 payment service providers licensed in the euro area
- staff from the ECB and 19 national central banks
- selected merchants
They will test the beta digital euro in everyday situations, for example paying in a cafeteria or for other services. Merchants offering everyday services at the ECB and the euro area national central banks (such as cafeterias and restaurants) will take part. National central banks may also recruit more local merchants through separate calls.
This call specifically targets e-commerce and m-commerce merchants that could sell goods or services to Eurosystem staff in at least two pilot locations. The ECB aims to select enough merchants to allow e-commerce and m-commerce payments in all pilot locations. The final number will depend on how many eligible applications arrive and on what is needed to cover the pilot’s objectives.
Why merchants should join the digital euro pilot
The call describes this as a unique opportunity for merchants to work with the ECB and euro area national central banks. Selected merchants will be able to:
- gain first-hand experience with beta digital euro transactions in realistic e-commerce and m-commerce environments
- interact directly with pilot participants and observe how users experience the beta digital euro in practice
- test customer payment journeys and explore how the digital euro could fit into existing checkout and payment processes
- share feedback on payment journeys, merchant needs, integration aspects and the customer experience
The digital euro pilot will also serve as a forum for collaboration between merchants, PSPs and the Eurosystem. Merchant feedback will help inform future design decisions, improve user journeys and further shape the digital euro’s technical specifications.
The ECB says it remains committed to engaging with all interested merchants, whether or not they take part. Where appropriate, insights from the pilot will be shared on the digital euro pilot web page to help non-participating merchants prepare for a potential future roll-out.
What merchants will do during the pilot
Selected merchants will act as business end users. They will enable beta digital euro payments in remote commerce environments and help validate the payment experience, operational processes and core functionalities.
They will report regularly on:
- Implementation effort and operational readiness: onboarding, integration into the checkout environment, technical defects and operational support needs
- Transaction and acceptance performance: successful and failed transactions, completion times, cancellations and repeat acceptance
- Their own views: communication materials, satisfaction with the user journey and complexity drivers
Costs, workload and compensation
Participation in the digital euro pilot is voluntary and will not be remunerated. Merchants receive no payment beyond what Eurosystem staff pay for the goods or services they buy. Merchants bear their own costs, expenses are not reimbursed and no subsidy is foreseen, but merchants will not have to pay fees to pilot PSPs for pilot payment services.
Workload and costs will differ for each merchant. They depend on the business model, existing e-commerce or m-commerce infrastructure, internal cost structures, the level of integration needed and the balance between internal and external development. Platform flexibility, prior experience with new payment methods and the scope of pilot activities chosen also play a role.
Merchants may work with technical service providers, their acquiring pilot PSP or that PSP’s technical service providers. They may also use existing technical solutions.
How to apply for the digital euro pilot
- Complete the application questionnaire (Annex 1 to the call for expression of interest that can be found on this page). Applicants are requested to submit it in its original Excel format, rather than as a PDF or any other file format.
- Sign the application declaration (Annex 2 that can be found on this page).
- Send both documents, with any supporting evidence, to digitaleuro-pilotmerchant@ecb.europa.eu by 17:00 CET on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.
The call and related documents are on the digital euro pilot web page. The ECB will assess applications against eligibility requirements and weighted evaluation criteria covering market reach, operational readiness and suitability to support the pilot.
Selected merchants will be invited to sign a merchant participation agreement with the ECB. They will also need to establish or adapt a contractual relationship with an acquiring pilot PSP for the purposes of the pilot.
Information session on 6 October 2026
To help merchants prepare, the ECB has published a new set of FAQs and will hold an information session on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 at 15:00 CET. It will cover the pilot’s objectives, its timeline, and the application and merchant selection process. The session is open to anyone interested in the digital euro pilot, including merchants, PSPs, technical service providers and consumers. Merchants can also send written questions through a dedicated form up to two weeks before the application deadline.
What comes next for the digital euro?
The ECB aims to be ready for a potential first issuance of the digital euro during 2029, assuming the digital euro Regulation is adopted in 2026. The final decision on whether to issue a digital euro will only be taken once the relevant EU legislation has been adopted. The Eurosystem’s preparations will remain flexible to stay aligned with the legislative process, and the pilot will be conducted transparently.
Key dates
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 15 September 2026 | Call for merchants published |
| 6 October 2026, 15:00 CET | Information session |
| 27 October 2026, 17:00 CET | Application deadline |
| Second half of 2027 | 12-month digital euro pilot planned to start |
Digital euro pilot FAQ
Q: What is the digital euro pilot?
A: It is a planned 12-month test of a beta version of the digital euro, starting in the second half of 2027. It will test technical functionality, operational processes and user experience in real-life situations.
Q: Is the beta digital euro legal tender?
A: No. It will be functionally and technically close to the digital euro foreseen in the draft legislation, but it will not have legal tender status.
Q: Which merchants can apply to the digital euro pilot?
A: This call targets e-commerce and m-commerce merchants operating in the euro area that could sell goods or services to Eurosystem staff in at least two pilot locations.
Q: What is the deadline to apply?
A: Applications must be submitted to digitaleuro-pilotmerchant@ecb.europa.eu by 17:00 CET on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.
Q: What documents do I need to submit?
A: The completed application questionnaire in its original Excel format, the signed application declaration and any supporting evidence.
Q: How will applications be assessed?
A: The ECB will assess them against eligibility requirements and weighted evaluation criteria covering market reach, operational readiness and suitability to support the pilot.
Q: Will merchants be paid for taking part in the digital euro pilot?
A: No. Merchants receive only the payments for goods or services bought by Eurosystem staff. Expenses are not reimbursed, but no fees are charged by pilot PSPs for pilot payment services.
Q: How many merchants will be selected?
A: The final number depends on the number of eligible applications and the need to cover the pilot’s objectives. The aim is to allow e-commerce and m-commerce payments in all pilot locations.
Q: What happens after a merchant is selected?
A: The merchant signs a merchant participation agreement with the ECB and establishes or adapts a contract with an acquiring pilot PSP for the pilot.
Q: Can I learn more before applying?
A: Yes. The ECB has published FAQs and will hold an information session on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 at 15:00 CET. Written questions can be sent through a dedicated form up to two weeks before the deadline.
Q: When could the digital euro be issued?
A: The ECB aims to be ready for a potential first issuance during 2029, assuming the digital euro Regulation is adopted in 2026. The decision to issue will only be taken once the relevant EU legislation has been adopted.
