The European Central Bank has opened a call for expression of interest for online and mobile commerce merchants wishing to join its ongoing digital euro pilot.
The invitation follows the Eurosystem’s recent selection of payment service providers to take part in the trial, and now widens participation to merchants operating in e-commerce and m-commerce across the euro area. Those chosen will work alongside the ECB and national central banks to test how a digital euro might function in practice, with their input feeding directly into the currency’s technical design.
The scheme will trial the technical performance, operational workflows and overall user experience of a “beta digital euro”, a version built to closely resemble the digital euro outlined in draft EU legislation, though without legal tender status.
Alongside the merchants, the pilot will draw on staff from Eurosystem central banks and the payment providers already selected, as well as merchants offering everyday services such as cafeterias and restaurants at ECB and national central bank sites. This particular call is aimed squarely at remote commerce businesses, while individual national central banks may separately recruit local merchants of their own.
Merchants taking part stand to gain direct exposure to beta digital euro transactions within live e-commerce and m-commerce settings, alongside the chance to observe how pilot users interact with the new payment method. They will also trial customer payment journeys, examining how a digital euro could slot into existing checkout systems, and will be encouraged to feed back on merchant requirements, integration challenges and the wider customer experience.
The Eurosystem comprises the European Central Bank together with the national central banks of countries that have adopted the euro, and is responsible for the currency’s monetary policy as well as ongoing work to explore a potential digital euro. Through this pilot, the institution is seeking to combine central bank oversight with real-world merchant and payment provider participation.
Organisers say the pilot will run transparently, reflecting the Eurosystem’s wider ambition to introduce any digital euro responsibly and with public trust, should a formal decision to issue one ultimately be taken. That decision rests on the adoption of the relevant EU legislation, and the Eurosystem has said its preparations will continue to be adapted flexibly in step with the legislative timeline.
Taking part is optional and unpaid. Merchants chosen through the call will sign a merchant participation agreement with the ECB setting out the terms of their involvement, and will need to set up or adjust a contractual relationship with an acquiring payment service provider taking part in the pilot.
Within the trial, merchants will operate as business end users, enabling beta digital euro payments in remote commerce settings and helping validate the currency’s payment experience, operational processes and core functions. Applications will be reviewed by the ECB against eligibility rules and weighted criteria covering market reach, operational readiness and overall suitability for the pilot.
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