Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260214)

February 14, 2026February 14, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

Bank of Russia to Conduct Study on the Creation of a Russian Stablecoin (TASS)

Russia’s TASS news agency reported that the Bank of Russia plans to conduct a study in 2026 on the feasibility of creating a Russian stablecoin. First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia Vladimir Chistyukhin said “we have plans to conduct a study this year where we will once again assess this situation. Indeed, our traditional position is that this is not allowed, but taking into account the practice of a number of foreign countries, we will once again look at what risks and prospects there are here and bring this up for public discussion”. [TASS]

Indian Government to Launch CBDC-Based Public Distribution System Pilot (Financial Express)

India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly announced the February 16, 2026 launch of India’s first central bank digital currency (CBDC)-based public distribution system pilot. It introduces subsidy transfers for foodgrains through the Reserve Bank of India’s CBDC platform. Under the pilot phase, 26,333 families across the Sabarmati zone of Ahmedabad, Surat, Anand, and Valsad receive digital tokens in their wallets containing details of commodity, quantity, and price. Beneficiaries using smartphones authenticate transactions by scanning QR codes at fair price shops, while those with feature phones receive one-time passwords through an Aadhaar-based verification system. The programmable CBDC coupons can only be used to purchase specified foodgrains at authorized ration shops and cannot be converted to cash, creating a clear audit trail of grain movement and subsidy utilization. [Financial Express]

Some more backfilling of my central bank digital currency (CBDC) database:

Madagascar’s Project e-Ariary One-Pager (BFM)

[October 19, 2020] Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara (BFM) published a one-pager on its e-Ariary central bank digital currency (CBDC) project. The project aims to affirm monetary sovereignty, ensure financial system stability, promote financial inclusion, control physical currency circulation, and establish a modern payment system in response to the global shift toward digital payments, cryptocurrencies, and new financial actors accelerated by COVID-19. The project follows a cautious two-phase approach: first conducting analysis, design, and experimentation, then proceeding to deployment only if the pilot phase proves successful, while carefully managing potential impacts on monetary and financial stability. [BFM]

Upcoming Speaking Engagements:

The Digital Euro Conference 2026 (Frankfurt, March 26) will explore the future of money with a focus on CBDCs, stablecoins, and commercial bank tokens. This hybrid event offers the perfect platform to understand the future of digital money! [Register here and get 20% off the regular ticket price by using the Kiffmeister20 code!]

I produce a monthly digest of digital fiat currency (DFC) developments exclusively for the official sector (e.g., central banks, ministries of finance and international financial institution (e.g., the BIS, IMF, OECD, World Bank)) plus academics and firms that are active in the DFC space (commercial banks, technology providers, consultants, etc.). (DFCs include central bank digital currency (CBDC), stablecoins and tokenized deposits.) It goes out via email on the first business day of every month, and if you’re interested in being on the mailing list, please email me at john@kiffmeister.com.

Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260212)

February 12, 2026February 12, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

European Parliament Votes for Online and Offline Digital Euro (Central Banking)

On February 10, 2025 the European Union (EU) Parliament has approved the digital euro initiative, reaching agreement with the European Council on creating a currency that will function both online and offline. They rejected an earlier proposal by the parliamentary rapporteur that would have restricted the digital euro to an offline version only (420 votes in favor, 158 against and 64 abstentions). Members of Parliament approved an amendment that stated that the central bank digital currency (CBDC) was “essential to strengthen EU monetary sovereignty, reduce fragmentation in retail payments, and support the integrity and resilience of the single market [as] the increasing digitalization of payments, if left exclusively to private and non-EU actors, risks creating new forms of exclusion for both users and merchants” (438 in favor, 158 against and 44 abstentions). [Central Banking and European Parliament]

Bank Negara Launches Digital Ringgit Pilot Programs (BNM)

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced that its Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH) has onboarded three initiatives in 2026 to test real-world applications of ringgit stablecoins and tokenized deposits, focusing on wholesale payment use cases for domestic and cross-border transactions, including tokenized asset settlement. These initiatives will be conducted in a controlled environment with ecosystem partners, including corporate clients and other regulators, with some exploring Shariah-related considerations. The testing aims to assess monetary and financial stability implications, with BNM planning to provide clearer policy direction on ringgit stablecoins and tokenized deposits by end-2026, potentially integrating with existing wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) work. [BNM]

Programming Money Without Programmable Money (FRBNY)

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York published a staff report that examines the distinction between “programmable money” and “programmable payments” in the context of central bank digital currency (CBDC) and tokenized money systems. The authors propose a two-layer framework consisting of an “asset layer” (a ledger recording ownership of plain-vanilla money) and a “program layer” (instructions for conditional transfers), which issues “certificates” that can be classified by two properties: transferability (whether ownership can be transferred) and convertibility (whether the certificate releases basic money when conditions are met). Pure programmable money is defined as transferable but non-convertible certificates that could circulate perpetually without releasing basic money, while pure programmable payments are non-transferable but convertible certificates (like direct debit arrangements). However, programmable money would likely not satisfy the “no questions asked” (NQA) property needed for good money and therefore wouldn’t circulate widely as money. [FRBNY]

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Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260211)

February 11, 2026February 11, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

Bank of England Selects DLT Projects for RTGS Atomic Settlement Trials (BOE)

The Bank of England (BOE) has selected ten projects involving eighteen companies to participate in its Synchronisation Lab, which will run for approximately six months starting in Spring. This initiative, part of Project Meridian, aims to test how tokenization and distributed ledger technology (DLT) projects can achieve atomic settlement using central bank money by synchronizing with the real time gross settlement (RTGS) system. The Lab will validate design models for data sharing with RTGS and demonstrate potential applications, allowing both RTGS account holders and DLT operators to participate in the simulation, though it won’t be a live system at this stage. [Source: BOE]

The Bank of England Seeks Engagement on Retail Payments (BOE)

Also, the BOE is establishing three new forums as part of its National Payments Vision to develop next-generation retail payments infrastructure. The Payments End User Forum will gather input from consumers, small businesses, and charities to ensure systems meet real-world needs; the Payments Innovation Design Group will bring together fintech firms, payment providers, and technology companies to explore emerging opportunities and challenges; and the Payments Academic Advisory Group (expanded from the previous CBDC Academic Advisory Group) will convene academics and policy experts to provide evidence-based insights on the future of payments. Applications to join these forums are open until 5pm on March 3, 2026, with the goal of creating a more resilient, innovative, and inclusive payments landscape for the UK. [Source: BOE]

Adoption of Payment Innovations: The Case of Digital Wallets in Peru (BIS)

The BIS published a paper that examines the rapid adoption of digital wallets Yape and Plin in Peru, which grew from minimal usage in 2019 to 50% of retail transactions by April 2024. Using market share data and a logit demand model, the authors find that key success factors include zero fees, immediate 24/7 fund availability, QR code payments, and interoperability with point-of-sale terminals. The study estimates that a PEN 0.01 fee increase would reduce digital wallet market share by 0.31 percentage points, while removing features like POS payments would decrease usage by 26 percentage points. Consumer welfare per transaction among banked individuals increased by 68% by April 2024 due to digital wallet availability. The paper attributes this success to enablers (telecommunications infrastructure, financial inclusion), catalysts (COVID-19 pandemic), and design features (ease of use, large merchant networks), alongside the Central Bank of Peru’s regulatory push for interoperability between payment systems. [Source: BIS]

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Jurisdictions Where Retail CBDC Is Being Explored

February 10, 2026February 10, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

I’ve updated my tabulation of the central banks that have launched, piloted, experimented with and/or researched retail central bank digital currency (CBDC)(see below). The table was compiled from publicly available sources, including media and central bank websites, and not verified through official channels. If I’m missing anything, or you find mistakes in the tabulation, please let me know in the comments!

According to my count, 115 central banks have launched retail CBDC explorations based on publicly-available information. It doesn’t include the two that started issuing retail CBDC and then shut the platforms down (Ecuador and Finland). Four jurisdictions have seen full launches, 12 pilot launches (where the central bank is issuing real CBDC to a limited subset of external users), 22 have seen proof-of-concept work started, and 77 started and remain in the pure research phase. These are less than the numbers published by the Atlantic Council, because they count individual countries in currency zones (e.g., Eurozone). BTW for those who want a more historical view of CBDC developments I strongly recommend the CBDCTracker.org database.

These numbers are higher than in my last update posted at the end of November 2025. That’s not because any central banks started working on CBDC, but because I’ve spent the last two months backfilling, during which I found ten central banks that flew under my radar screen. Also, note the table’s green highlights. They’re part of an experiment where I’m trying to capture which central banks are currently working on retail CBDC – i.e., currently in the launch, pilot or proof of concept phases and/or provided research updates within the last two calendar years (2025 and 2026). There are currently 32 projects that are “live” by that definition.

Notes: The difference between a “pilot” and “proof of concept” (POC) is that a pilot involves actual users, whereas a POC does not, even though some POCs may involve central bank staff. Also, because the tabulation is based only on publicly-available information, it is likely that there is some POC activity in the “research” category, but no announcements have been made. Finally, entries that are crossed through indicate that the projects have been shut down, or put on hold (“watchful waiting”).

BTW I produce a monthly digest of digital fiat currency (DFC) developments exclusively for the official sector (e.g., central banks, ministries of finance and international financial institution (e.g., the BIS, IMF, OECD, World Bank)) plus academics and firms that are active in the DFC space (commercial banks, technology providers, consultants, etc.). (DFCs include central bank digital currency (CBDC), stablecoins and tokenized deposits.) It goes out via email on the first business day of every month, and if you’re interested in being on the mailing list, please email me at john@kiffmeister.com.

RCBDC 202601 Tabulation Download

Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260209)

February 9, 2026February 9, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

I’m continuing my backfilling, this time catching up to some papers that were published in January that I put on the back burner because January was one of *those* months:

The Hidden Plumbing of Stablecoins: Financial and Technological Risks in the GENIUS Act Era (MIT DCI)

The MIT Digital Currency Initiative (DCI) published a paper evaluates the financial, technological, and regulatory risks facing U.S. dollar stablecoins under the 2025 GENIUS Act. The authors argue that while the Act strengthens reserve asset quality and transparency, it treats stablecoin stability primarily as a balance-sheet problem, leaving critical vulnerabilities unaddressed. Maintaining par-value redemption depends not only on high-quality backing assets but also on the functioning of Treasury and repo markets, broker-dealer balance-sheet capacity, and blockchain operational reliability. The paper identifies three interconnected risk layers: financial risks (including Treasury market fragility and dealer intermediation bottlenecks), technological risks (smart contract bugs, consensus attacks, bridge failures), and regulatory gaps (undefined redemption mechanics, lack of capital requirements, no access to Federal Reserve liquidity facilities). The analysis reveals that even conservatively backed stablecoins could face stress from redemption surges or market disruptions, and that stablecoin issuers have significantly lower capital buffers than commercial banks. The authors conclude that durable stability requires an integrated approach spanning financial-market infrastructure, prudential regulation, and software governance, while highlighting a key policy dilemma: granting stablecoin issuers Fed access could reduce liquidity risk but might disintermediate banks and affect monetary policy transmission. [Source: MIT DCI]

Stablecoins in Retail Payments (ArXiv)

ArXiv published a paper that systematically compares stablecoin-based payments with traditional card networks as retail payment systems. The authors introduce the CLEAR framework (Cost, Legality, Experience, Architecture, and Reach) to evaluate both systems across five dimensions. Their analysis reveals that while stablecoins offer advantages like continuous settlement, lower rail-level fees, and programmability, they suffer from significant drawbacks including weaker consumer protection (no native chargebacks), higher user-facing complexity (gas fees, wallet management), fragmented interoperability across blockchains, and limited merchant acceptance. Card networks, by contrast, subsidize consumers through interchange fees, provide strong legal recourse mechanisms, and benefit from standardized global infrastructure and network effects. The paper concludes that stablecoins demonstrate conditional advantages in closed-loop environments, cross-border corridors, and high-friction payment contexts (particularly in high-inflation economies), but remain structurally disadvantaged as general-purpose retail payment instruments compared to card networks due to their institutional incompleteness and lack of coordinated governance frameworks. [Source: ArXiv]

Central Bank Digital Currency and Monetary Sovereignty (CEPR)

The Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) published an article that argues that a central bank digital currency (CBDC) is not essential for maintaining monetary sovereignty, contrary to popular claims. The author contends that throughout history, monetary stability has relied on a hybrid system of publicly defined units of account backed by private money (like bank deposits), rather than universal access to public currency. True monetary sovereignty depends on the central bank’s legal authority and its capacity to absorb risk through balance-sheet operations during crises, not on issuing retail digital currency. The article further distinguishes between money (the settlement asset) and payments (the transaction mechanism), arguing that concerns about foreign payment providers are payment system issues requiring regulatory solutions, not CBDC. [Source: CEPR]

Central Bank Digital Currency and Gresham’s Law: An Experimental Analysis (SNB)

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) published a paper that examines how people use central bank digital currency (CBDC) versus risky bank deposits through a laboratory experiment. The researchers tested Gresham’s law—the principle that “bad money drives out good”—by having participants allocate funds between a risk-free account (like CBDC) and a risky account (like bank deposits) that could lose 50% with 10% probability. Key findings show that when the risk-free account is unrestricted, people extensively hold and pay with it. However, when limited by a ceiling or negative interest rate, people tend to hoard the risk-free money as a store of value while using risky money for payments—confirming Gresham’s law. The study concludes that mechanisms designed to limit CBDC holdings (necessary to protect the banking system) may undermine its effectiveness as a payment method, suggesting it may be better to build payment systems on existing bank deposits rather than CBDC. [Source: SNB]

Upcoming Speaking Engagements:

Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260207)

February 7, 2026February 7, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

Universal Launches UAE’s First Central Bank-Registered USD Stablecoin (Universal Digital)

[January 29, 2026] Universal Digital Intl Limited become the first Foreign Payment Token Issuer registered by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), alongside the launch of USDU, the first USD-backed stablecoin to be registered as a Foreign Payment Token under the UAE’s Payment Token Services Regulation. This makes USDU the only compliant USD settlement option for digital assets in the UAE market. The stablecoin is backed 1:1 by reserves held in safeguarded accounts at Emirates NBD and Mashreq, with Mbank providing corporate banking support, and features monthly independent attestation by a global accounting firm. Universal, regulated by Abu Dhabi Global Market’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority, is partnering with AECoin, the first licensed UAE Dirham (AED) stablecoin in the UAE, for future AED conversions and with Aquanow for broader institutional distribution, positioning USDU as a bridge between traditional financial systems and the emerging digital asset economy both domestically and internationally. [Source: Universal Digital]

Some more backfilling:

Potential Implementation of Timor-Leste eCentavos (BCTL)

[September 6, 2024] Banco Central de Timor-Leste (BCTL) published its 2025-2035 Strategic Plan for Financial Sector Development in which it discussed its plans to possibly issue eCentavos central bank digital currency (CBDC), as part of its strategy to modernize the financial system, enhance payment efficiency, and promote financial inclusion. The project will follow a phased approach starting with a comprehensive feasibility study in 2025 that examines potential benefits, challenges, and lessons from other central banks’ CBDC experiences. This may be followed by pilot testing in at least five municipalities in 2026, and full-scale implementation in 2028. The plan emphasizes the importance of assessing technological resilience, privacy and security concerns, user adoption, and interoperability with existing financial systems during the gradual rollout. [Source: BCTL]

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Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260203)

February 3, 2026February 3, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

BSP Eyes CBDC for Settling Tokenized Government Bonds (GMA News)

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is reportedly developing a second proof of concept for its wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) to settle tokenized government bonds, following the completion of Project Agila testing in 2024. According to BSP deputy governor Mamerto Tangonan, this initiative will provide a settlement instrument for the Bureau of the Treasury’s tokenized treasury bonds (TTBs), which raised ₱10 billion from the domestic bond market using distributed ledger technology. The wholesale CBDC is intended for use by commercial banks and financial institutions for interbank payments, securities transactions, and cross-border payments, with the BSP planning to expand participation beyond the initial six banks in the next testing phase, though no specific timeline has been announced. [Source: GMA News]

Understanding Disputes Over Digitalization: CBDC Cross-Border Perspectives (Emory Law)

The Emory International Law Review published a paper by Heng Wang that examines the complexity of disputes arising from digitalization through the lens of cross-border central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The paper analyzes CBDC-related disputes using a three-dimensional framework: the social dimension (divergent state interests, approaches, and levels of commonality among jurisdictions); the material dimension (subject matter complexities involving data, technology, and parties’ perceptions regarding dispute classification, risk tolerance, and market attitudes); and the temporal dimension (how technology and rule development evolve over time, creating legal vacuums and new challenges). The paper finds that dispute complexity stems from factors including regulatory inconsistencies across jurisdictions, technological uncertainties, varying privacy standards, interoperability challenges, and geoeconomic considerations. It argues that understanding these multifaceted dimensions is essential for developing effective dispute settlement mechanisms and governance frameworks as digitalization accelerates, particularly as CBDC networks expand and interconnect globally. [Source: Emory Law]

I’m also continuing my efforts to update my CBDC and CBDCTracker.org databases, so here’s some more backfilling:

Digital Turkish Lira Second Phase Progress Report (CBRT)

[November 24, 2025] The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) published a progress report on the 2nd phase of its Digital Turkish Lira project, which will focus on developing programmable payments and offline payment capabilities while maintaining core principles of privacy, interoperability, and financial inclusion. The digital lira will operate through a two-tier system where the central bank issues the currency and financial intermediaries provide user access without the central bank storing user identity data. Key developments include payment templates and packages that enable automated, condition-based transactions integrated with digital identity verification, and offline payment functionality using smart cards and NFC technology to work without internet connectivity. The system is being designed for interoperability with digital assets, cross-border payment platforms, and existing financial infrastructure, with the goal of reaching a minimum viable product stage by the end of this phase before any potential circulation decision in a third phase. Similar to the first phase, pilot tests will also be conducted in the second phase. [Source: CBRT]

Central Bank of Iraq on Banking reform, Digital Dinar, Dollar Transactions… (Iraq Business News)

[December 2, 2025] The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) is reportedly developing a digital dinar project, although according to Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaqit, it requires significant time and infrastructure before launch. [Source: Iraq Business News]

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Protected: Kiffmeister’s Digital Currency Monitor, January 2026

February 1, 2026February 1, 2026 ~ kiffmeister

Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260131)

January 31, 2026February 1, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

In today’s post I’m doing some backfilling of my central bank digital currency (CBDC) database with some recently discovered projects and project updates, so here it goes!

Central Bank of the Barbados was Researching CBDC in 2020 (CBB)

[July 1, 2020] The Central Bank of the Barbados (CBB) hosted a seminar of central bank digital currency (CBDC) at which Governor Cleviston Hayne revealed that the CBB the CBB was researching CBDCs. In attendance were representatives from the Bahamas, Canada and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). However, there has been no public follow-up on the central bank on the topic. [Source: CBB]

Central Bank of Uzbekistan Explores CBDC (Business & Finance Consulting)

[November 15, 2021] Speaking at the 2nd international PLUS forum (“FinTech without Borders: Digital Asia), Shukhrat Fayzullaev, deputy director of the Payment Systems Department of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU), reportedly spoke about the central bank’s CBDC pre-project study. The purpose of this study was to: (1) analyze the prerequisites and economic efficiencies of introducing a CBDC, (2) examine the experience of other countries that have introduced or are introducing CBDCs and (3) assess the technical, human and financial resources that will be required to develop a CBDC. [Source: Business & Finance Consulting]

Digital Currencies Impact on Financial Stability and Financial Cycle (Bank of Albania)

[February 11, 2022] The Bank of Albania published a paper that examines the impact on financial stability and financial cycles of crypto-assets, stablecoins, and CBDCs. Since then, it seems the Bank of Albania hasn’t done any more work on the CBDC topic. [Source: Bank of Albania]

Bank of Mauritius Progresses its CBDC POC Work (BoM)

[January 10, 2024] The Bank of Mauritius (BoM) has progressed on its research for the potential implementation of a digital rupee retail CBDC. In this respect, the BoM has embarked on a proof-of-concept (POC) project starting with one commercial bank, There are other POCs in the pipeline, and other commercial banks and members of the public will be invited to join the pilot in due course. [Source: BoM]

Bank of Mauritius Calls for Participation in Projects for its Innovation Hub (BoM)

[August 23, 2024] The Bank of Mauritius announced the upcoming launch of its Innovation Hub, inviting interested participants to register for fintech solution development projects, including Suptech/Regtech and CBDCs. This collaborative platform aims to foster cutting-edge innovations for the financial, banking, and regulatory sectors in Mauritius and the region by bringing together diverse stakeholders including entrepreneurs, industry experts, technology providers, regulators, academia, and students. The initiative is designed to accelerate the growth of the fintech ecosystem by leveraging the collective expertise and creativity of these key players. [Source: BoM]

Angolan Central Bank Exploring Central Bank Digital Currency (BNA]

[April 29, 2025] The Banco Nacional de Angola (BNA) revealed in its 2024 Annual Report that it concluded a preliminary CBDC study, with the objective of evaluating the benefits and risks associated with different models, and analyzing potential implementation in the Angolan financial system. For 2025, the BNA will continue to monitor international CBDC projects, including exchanges with specialized institutions and central banks, with the aim of deepening knowledge and exploring possible paths for its eventual implementation. [Source: BNA] However, according to a Bloomberg Law article, the BNA has purportedly been exploring CBDC since at least 2022. [Source: Bloomberg Law]

Liberia’s Central Bank Exploring Central Bank Digital Currency (CBL)

[May 5, 2025] The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) revealed in its 2025-2029 Strategic Plan that it will explore the feasibility of introducing a CBDC to enhance financial inclusion and modernize the financial system. CBL’s approach will include a feasibility study to assess the potential impact of a CBDC on Liberia’s monetary policy, financial stability, and payment systems, and engagement with key stakeholders, including financial institutions, government bodies, and the public, to gather insights and address concerns surrounding the introduction of a CBDC. Based on the findings of the research and studies, the CBL may consider launching a pilot CBDC program, initially targeting areas where traditional banking infrastructure is limited, to assess its viability in the Liberian context. This is in line with the medium-term goal of the Bank to digitalize the financial system and the economy at large and reduce the need for paper currency. [Source: CBL]

Central Bank of Uzbekistan Explores Digital Som Pilot Project (UZ Daily)

[September 11, 2025] The Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) is reportedly exploring the launch of digital som CBDC and commercial bank-issued stablecoin pilot projects. Both retail and wholesale CBDCs are being considered. The stablecoin pilot would be conducted in a regulatory sandbox run by the National Agency for Advanced Projects, the central bank emphasizing the importance of strict reserve backing to avoid effectively creating additional money supply. [Source: UZ Daily]

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Kiffmeister’s #Fintech Daily Digest (20260130)

January 30, 2026January 30, 2026 ~ kiffmeister ~ Leave a comment

Digital Pound Lab: Phase 1 Update: Overview of First Round of Use Cases (BOE)

The Bank of England (BOE) Digital Pound Lab Phase 1 has completed, showcasing various demonstration use cases for U.K. retail payments infrastructure. The BOE developed several core capabilities including verifiable credentials for privacy-preserving identity verification, payment requests via QR codes, digital cheques, allowances for delegated spending, e-commerce integrations with delivery-versus-payment features, and blockchain interoperability. External participants (Fluxpay Limited; LINK, in collaboration with Consult Hyperion; NOBO Finance, in collaboration with Applied Blockchain; and Yotra Limited) tested additional use cases such as tiered wallets, tourist wallets, point-of-sale payments, and conditional business-to-business payments. Phase 2 is now underway with applications open until March 2026, aiming to explore more innovative payment services that don’t currently exist, with a showcase event planned for July 2026. [Source: BOE]

ECB Calls for Experts to Help Explore Roles of Digital Euro Technical Service Providers (ECB)

The European Central Bank (ECB) is inviting technical service providers (TSPs) from the EU to participate in two expert-level workshops in early March 2026 focused on their role in supporting market readiness for a potential digital euro. Following the October 2025 announcement of the digital euro project’s next phase, which includes a pilot starting in the second half of 2027 and potential first issuance in 2029, these half-day workshops will explore how TSPs can support payment service providers in both distribution and acquiring/acceptance activities. Interested TSPs must apply by February 10, 2026, and participants will be selected based on factors including their EU establishment, relevant experience, and technical capabilities, with the goal of creating balanced and representative workshop groups that will help inform the upcoming digital euro pilot activities. [Source: ECB]

Upcoming Speaking Engagements: