The European Central Bank is preparing a regulatory blueprint for introducing a digital euro by 2029, focusing on privacy, security, and interoperability standards across member states. The move seeks to safeguard monetary sovereignty while offering a central-bank-backed alternative to private stablecoins. Pilot testing and stakeholder consultations will begin in 2026 to align compliance and technical design. Analysts said the initiative represents the bloc’s most advanced digital-currency step yet, though political consensus remains mixed across governments balancing innovation with fiscal oversight concerns.