The ECB launched a two-year investigation into the design and impact of a digital euro amid the pandemic-driven surge in online payments and growing competition from global digital currencies.

As Bitcoin and private digital assets gained traction, the European Central Bank began exploring whether a central bank digital currency was necessary to safeguard monetary sovereignty.

Between 2005 and 2015, the rise of contactless cards, online banking, and mobile apps reshaped Europe’s payment landscape and prepared consumers for a central bank digital currency.

The launch of the euro in 1999 marked a turning point for European integration, uniting economies under a single currency and paving the way for future digital innovation.