EU lawmakers give digital euro the green light, but rollout still years away

EU lawmakers on 9 July 2026 backed kickstarting negotiations on creating a digital version of the euro, as the European Union races to introduce the currency. AFP - NICOLAS TUCAT

EU lawmakers on Thursday backed kickstarting negotiations on creating a digital version of the euro, as the European Union races to introduce the currency.

The digital euro would be an electronic form of central bank money, backed directly by the European Central Bank (ECB) and accessible via a digital wallet, intended to work alongside cash and existing bank accounts rather than replace them.