The announcement
The Eurosystem opened a call on 15 September for euro area e-commerce and mobile-commerce merchants to join the digital euro pilot. It follows the earlier selection of payment service providers.
The announcement sets an application deadline of 27 October 2026 at 17:00 CET. The planned 12-month pilot begins in the second half of 2027 and uses a beta payment environment to examine functionality and user experience.
What it means for account customers
A merchant call is a preparation milestone. It does not mean that digital euro acceptance is already a standard feature available through every business bank account.
Our view: businesses comparing accounts today should distinguish existing acceptance services from announced experiments. Current charges, settlement arrangements and support remain the immediate comparison points. Pilot feedback may inform a future product, but it is not a substitute for a provider's live service description. Readers considering participation should consult the official call for its complete eligibility and application requirements.
ECB merchant participation call, 15 September 2026 ↗
Source checked for this edition on 1 November 2026. Historical announcements describe the position at the event date.
This article distinguishes the source announcement from BankRanking's editorial interpretation. It does not rank or endorse a product.
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