Is the Digital Euro Actually Coming? Maybe in 2029… Or 2099?

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Ah, the Digital Euro, the European Union’s grand plan to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC), which-surprise, surprise-has hit a few tiny bumps on the road. Now, instead of being the exciting, futuristic payment solution everyone was hoping for, it’s looking more like that thing your friend promised to bring to the party but keeps putting off. Expect it, oh, around mid-2029, says Piero Cipollone, a member of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Executive Board. That’s right-2029. It’s so far away that it might as well be in a galaxy far, far away. 🛸

According to Cipollone, who’s been hanging out with the EU’s finest in a little event called Bloomberg’s Future of Finance in Frankfurt (sounds thrilling, right?), the middle of 2029 is a “fair assessment.” You know, as fair as saying you’ll finish a book in the next decade. 📚 He went on to mention that the ECB has been discussing the project with EU member states-probably over some lukewarm coffee and existential dread about how long things take in Europe.

But wait, there’s more! Even if Cipollone’s estimate holds up, it’ll still be another delay. Europe, ever the punctual planner, has seen calls from all directions to launch the digital euro pronto-mostly because it’s worried about being left behind in the global financial race. Meanwhile, the U.S. stablecoin is just over there, being all stable and cool.

European Parliament: The World’s Slowest Speed Bump

Here’s the twist: the European Parliament, which is the equivalent of a bureaucratic speed bump, is the biggest hurdle. They need to pass legislation for this digital euro to become a reality. And because it’s the EU, legislation means about a hundred different committee meetings and a lot of confused stares. Cipollone suggests that the Parliament might, *maybe*, reach a general agreement by the end of the year. But if you’re betting on a fast track, well, you might want to rethink that. He added that we might hear something definitive from the Parliament by May 2026. Yes, *2026*. Which, when you think about it, is only two years before it’s supposed to launch… probably. ⏳

Digital Euro Roadmap

It’s almost like Europe is playing an intricate game of legislative chess, with the Digital Euro stuck in an endless stalemate. According to Cipollone, just last week, the EU ministers made a “compromise” on the roadmap for the digital euro-deciding to slap holding limits on the digital currency. Because why not complicate things just a little bit more?

Expect a Progress Report… Soon. Ish.

Despite all the delays and hoopla, the ECB is still going ahead with its CBDC preparations, probably in a very slow, very European way. Cipollone mentioned that European authorities are aiming for October to decide whether to proceed to the next phase. Yes, *October*. What a timeline, right?

And as if this all wasn’t enough fun, the European Parliament is supposed to report on the digital euro’s progress by October 24. Hold your applause. After the report, lawmakers will have six weeks to suggest amendments, followed by another five months of discussions. So, if you’re still waiting for the digital euro, you might want to grab some popcorn. 🍿

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2025-09-24 14:04