The European Central Bank issued a last call on 22 October for e-commerce and mobile commerce merchants to register interest in the digital euro pilot. Applications are due by 27 October 2026 at 17:00 Central European Time. The pilot will run for 12 months from the second half of 2027, with 36 selected payment service providers and real transactions by staff of the ECB and 19 national central banks. The ECB estimates a first issuance could happen in 2029, provided the relevant Regulation is adopted in 2026.

What it means: The call is one of the few chances for businesses to take a practical part in shaping the digital euro before its final design is fixed. Participating merchants will see first-hand how acceptance works, what integration costs and how the checkout experience changes in an online shop. For Greek online stores the digital euro matters for two reasons. First, the Regulation under discussion foresees an obligation to accept it for merchants that already take electronic payments, with exemptions for very small businesses. Second, it foresees a cap on fees charged to merchants, which could affect overall fee negotiations with banks and payment providers. Taking part in the pilot needs time and technical resources, so it suits mainly businesses with their own platform and development team. Those not taking part can follow ECB publications and ask their payment provider whether it is among the 36 selected. Either way, the deadline is very close and the decision needs to be made now. The final timeline still depends on the Regulation being adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.

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