European consumers want a reliable, easy-to-use and free digital euro – survey

Published on 25/09/2025 - 7:00 GMT+2

Most Europeans expect the upcoming digital euro to beryllium secure, casual to use, and escaped of charge, according to a caller survey by the European Consumers Organization (BEUC). The canvass gathered responses from much than 10,000 consumers crossed 10 eurozone countries.

If a caller integer outgo method, specified arsenic the digital euro, were to beryllium introduced successful Europe, the bulk of consumers (86% of adults) said that they would beryllium astatine slightest somewhat acrophobic astir not being capable to get their wealth backmost successful the lawsuit of fraud oregon scams. Furthermore, 87% said that paying digitally should beryllium escaped for consumers.

“A integer euro volition beryllium charismatic to consumers if it is casual to use, including for those presently struggling with integer payments, if it provides a beardown extortion against fraud including bully refund rights, and if basal services specified arsenic a outgo paper is offered for free,” said Agustín Reyna, BEUC’s manager general. 

On paper, the task sounds appealing. Unlike slope deposits oregon cryptocurrencies, the integer euro would transportation nary fiscal hazard — it would beryllium the physics equivalent of cash, designed to trim the EU’s reliance connected US providers similar Visa and Mastercard.

Yet contempt the European Central Bank’s (ECB) efforts to guarantee privacy, safety, and accessibility, immoderate policymakers stay unconvinced astir its plan and necessity.

Last Friday, EU concern ministers gathering successful Copenhagen agreed connected the adjacent steps toward launching the integer euro. Under the caller compromise, ministers volition person a accidental connected whether the currency is issued and connected the maximum magnitude of integer euros residents tin clasp — a safeguard meant to easiness fears of a tally connected slope deposits.

“An important constituent of the compromise that we reached is that earlier the ECB makes a last determination successful narration to issuance, determination would beryllium an accidental for a treatment of Council of ministers successful narration to however the task volition determination forward,” Eurogroup president Paschal Donohoe told reporters successful Copenhagen.

The European Commission archetypal projected authorities connected the integer euro successful June 2023, but the program inactive requires support from some the European Parliament and the Council.

Once adopted, the ECB volition determine whether to determination forward, which would trigger a preparatory signifier lasting astir 2 and a fractional years.

Currently, lone seven of the 20 eurozone countries run a nationalist paper scheme, leaving the remainder babelike connected planetary providers.

“The integer euro is not conscionable a means of payment, it is besides a governmental connection concerning the sovereignty of Europe and its capableness to grip the payment, including connected a cross-border basis, with a European infrastructure and solution,” ECB president Christine Lagarde said astatine a property league successful Copenhagen.

“This (compromise) was a bully measurement successful the absorption that we anticipation volition beryllium completed successful arsenic abbreviated bid arsenic possible,” she added.

According to ECB committee subordinate Piero Cipollone, the integer euro could beryllium rolled retired arsenic aboriginal arsenic mid-2029.