ECB Opens Digital Euro Programme to Explore AI Payments

The European Central Bank opened applications on September 28 for a new programme inviting companies and organizations to develop prototypes and explore possible uses of a future digital euro, including payments involving artificial intelligence agents. The work is exploratory: the ECB has not committed to allowing AI systems to make payments or decided to issue a digital euro. Applications close November 9, 2026, and selected participants are expected to be announced in January 2027. The programme has two tracks. In the experimentation track, participants will develop prototypes from January through June 2027, covering electronic receipts, transactions involving multiple payers or recipients, conditional payments and features for payment apps. A separate workshop track will examine potential applications including AI-enabled payments, micropayments and transactions between machines. Participants may also discuss possible uses in public services. The ECB has said proposals involving AI payments should take account of privacy, user control and data protection. The programme does not specify how an AI system would be authorized to initiate or approve a transaction.