The European Central Bank has opened applications for online merchants to participate in a controlled digital euro pilot scheduled to run from late 2027 to mid-2028. Eligible EU-established e-commerce businesses must apply by October 27, 2026. The pilot will connect merchants with 36 selected payment providers to test online checkout flows. Crucially, the beta lacks legal-tender status, and any final decision by the European Central Bank to issue a digital euro remains contingent on ongoing EU legislative negotiations.
Digital euro pilot merchant application
- ▪EU-established e-commerce and mobile-commerce businesses have until 17:00 CET on October 27, 2026, to apply for the European Central Bank's digital euro pilot.
- ▪The European Central Bank opened applications on September 15, 2026, for online merchants to join a controlled pilot of the proposed digital euro.
- ▪Merchant participation in the European Central Bank's digital euro pilot is voluntary and unpaid.
- ▪Applicants for the European Central Bank's digital euro pilot must serve customers across at least two euro-area countries and operate an active, flexible platform.
Payment provider network selection
- ▪Merchants selected for the digital euro pilot must contract and integrate with an acquiring payment service provider to receive test payments.
- ▪The European Central Bank selected 36 payment service providers in July 2026 to handle acquiring, distributing, or dual roles for the digital euro pilot.
Controlled checkout testing phase
- ▪The operational phase of the digital euro pilot is scheduled to run for 12 months from the third quarter of 2027 through the third quarter of 2028.
- ▪The European Central Bank's pilot FAQ states that the operational phase of the digital euro pilot could be extended by up to six months.
Non-legal-tender pilot scope
- ▪The digital euro pilot is designed to test payment rails, operating processes, and user experience under controlled conditions without using ordinary public money.
- ▪The digital euro beta pilot will not constitute the digital euro defined under proposed EU Regulation and will not carry legal-tender status.
EU legislative framework negotiations
- ▪The European Parliament authorized negotiations on the proposed legal framework for the digital euro in July 2026.
- ▪Legislation regarding the digital euro legal framework remained under discussion when the European Central Bank opened the merchant application call in September 2026.
ECB issuance decision timeline
- ▪The European Central Bank must make a separate, formal decision to issue a digital euro even after European Union lawmakers adopt a legal framework.
- ▪The digital euro pilot exercise will inform technical work but will not decide whether to issue a digital euro.
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