An open letter from over 60 economists published on Jan. 12, 2026 urges EU lawmakers to implement an effective digital euro, warning that failure to act could cede control of Europe’s money to foreign or private payment systems. The signatories say a well‑designed CBDC is needed to preserve monetary sovereignty and the transmission of policy.
China’s central bank has announced plans to enhance the functionality and expand adoption of the digital yuan in 2026, following a pilot cross-border transaction with Laos. Officials framed the update as a move toward wider international use of the currency and improved payment features.
China has executed the first consumer retail payment across borders using the digital yuan in Laos, a milestone in the e‑CNY’s international rollout. The move aims to make everyday transactions for travelers and merchants faster and more convenient.
Experts warn the digital euro’s success hinges on a political compromise between allowing cash-like privacy and building extensive online features that meet anti-money-laundering and oversight demands. The debate could determine adoption, design, and rollout timing across the EU.
The Reserve Bank of India warns stablecoins pose greater threats to financial stability than any potential benefits and urges countries to prioritise central bank digital currencies. The stance appears in the RBI's latest Financial Stability Report.
The Council of the European Union has approved moving forward with the ECB’s digital euro project, endorsing both an online model and a privacy-focused offline variant. The decision clears a political hurdle toward pilots and technical development.
Russia’s Finance Ministry says the executive branch will begin making budget payments in the digital ruble as early as this year, ahead of a full-scale rollout planned for the second half of next year.
The EU Council on Friday endorsed a negotiating stance for a digital euro that would support both online and offline use, reversing earlier Parliament proposals that favored offline-only functionality. The decision moves the project into interinstitutional talks where technical, privacy and resilience trade-offs will be debated.
Conservative Republicans are angry after language banning a central bank digital currency was dropped from a must-pass defense bill now headed to the Senate.
On December 9, 2025 the ECB published a roadmap targeting pilot trials of a digital euro in 2027 and a first issuance by 2029 to complement cash and strengthen EU technological autonomy.