Call for online and mobile merchants to participate in digital euro pilot now open
15 September 2026
The Eurosystem has launched a call for expression of interest inviting e-commerce and mobile commerce (m-commerce) merchants operating in the euro area to take part in the digital euro pilot. The call follows the selection of payment service providers (PSPs) to participate in the pilot.
This is a unique opportunity for merchants to collaborate with the European Central Bank (ECB) and euro area national central banks to help shape the future of digital payments in Europe. By participating in the pilot, selected merchants will gain first-hand experience of a simulated digital euro ecosystem and their feedback will further shape the digital euro’s technical specifications.
The 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 as foreseen in the draft legislation but will not have legal tender status.
The pilot will involve staff from participating Eurosystem central banks, selected PSPs and selected merchants offering everyday services at the ECB and the euro area national central banks (e.g. cafeterias and restaurants). This call for expression of interest specifically targets e-commerce and m-commerce merchants. National central banks may recruit additional local merchants via separate calls.
Participating merchants will have a unique opportunity 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.
Beyond testing functionality, the pilot will serve as an important forum for collaboration between merchants, PSPs and the Eurosystem. Feedback collected throughout the pilot will help inform future design decisions, improve user journeys and ensure that the merchant perspective is considered as preparations for a potential digital euro continue.
The pilot will be conducted transparently, reflecting the Eurosystem’s commitment to a responsible and trusted introduction of a digital euro, should a decision to issue be taken in the future. The final decision on whether to issue a digital euro will only be taken once the relevant EU legislation has been adopted.
How to participate
Participation in the pilot is voluntary and will not be remunerated. Merchants selected through this call will be invited to enter into a merchant participation agreement with the ECB governing their participation in the pilot. They will also be required to establish or adapt their contractual relationship with an acquiring pilot PSP for the purposes of the pilot.
In the pilot, the selected merchants will act as business end users, enabling beta digital euro payments in remote commerce environments and contributing to the validation of the digital euro payment experience, operational processes and core functionalities.
Applications will be assessed by the ECB based on eligibility requirements and weighted evaluation criteria covering applicants’ market reach, operational readiness and suitability to support the pilot.
To help merchants prepare for the call for expression of interest, the ECB has published a new set of FAQs and will hold an information session on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 at 15:00 CET. Merchants may also submit written questions via a dedicated form up to two weeks before the deadline for applications.
Interested merchants are invited to complete an application and submit it to [email protected] by 17:00 CET on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.
The 12-month pilot, which is expected to begin in the second half of 2027, will test a beta version of the digital euro in a controlled payment environment designed to replicate, to the greatest extent possible, the key characteristics and functionalities envisaged for a digital euro.