Euro Must Strengthen Its Global Role: Lagarde

EZB-Chefin Christine Lagarde fordert eine stärkere globale Rolle des Euro, um nicht nur als sicherer Hafen zu fungieren, sondern auch die Entwicklung der Wirtschaft und Inflation zu beeinflussen. Sie betont, dass innere Barrieren wie fragmentierte Regulierungen und unvollständige Kapitalmärkte für Europas schlechtere Wirtschaftsleistung verantwortlich sind. Lagarde schlägt auch vor, neue Handelsabkommen und eine breitere Nutzung des Euros durch grenzüberschreitende Zahlungsinfrastrukturen zu fördern.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced the selection of service providers for the prospective digital euro, marking a significant step in the development of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) for the eurozone. The Frankfurt-based authority, through a procurement process initiated in January 2024, has chosen companies to provide components and related services in five key areas, with a total estimated spend of €432.1 million (approximately £377 million) ECB picks digital euro service providers with potential maximum spend above €1 billion^[1].

The selected service providers are:

1. Alias Lookup: Sapient GmbH & Tremend Software Consulting S.R.L.
2. Risk and Fraud Management: Feedzai
3. App and Software Development Kit (SDK): Almaviva and Fabrick
4. Offline Solution: Giesecke+Devrient (G+D)
5. Secure Exchange of Payment Information: Senacor FCS

These framework agreements, with a potential maximum spend of €1.164 billion (just over £1 billion), are part of a two-year preparation phase focused on practical implementation and technical details. The actual development of these components will be subject to the ECB Governing Council's decision on the project's next phase ECB picks digital euro service providers with potential maximum spend above €1 billion^[1].

The ECB has also named second-ranked providers in four of the five areas, who will be approached only if required. These include equensWorldline and Capgemini Deutschland for alias lookup and secure exchange of payment information, respectively, and Sapient GmbH & Tremend Software Consulting S.R.L. for app and SDK ECB picks digital euro service providers with potential maximum spend above €1 billion^[1].

The digital euro preparation phase follows an investigation phase launched by the Eurosystem in October 2021. The ECB's decision on issuing a digital euro is contingent on the adoption of a legal framework. The framework agreements have a minimum duration of four years, with a maximum of 10 years, or 15 years in two cases ECB picks digital euro service providers with potential maximum spend above €1 billion^[1].

ECB Executive Board Member Piero Cipollone has emphasized the importance of the digital euro in bolstering Europe's unity, safeguarding autonomy, and strengthening resilience. He highlighted the need for a strong global role of the euro to influence economic development and inflation .

This announcement comes as the ECB continues to engage with the private sector, having already worked with numerous companies on digital euro-related assignments. The ECB's innovation platform, launched in May 2025, involves about 70 market participants exploring possible digital euro applications .

The selected companies have published their own announcements, with G+D highlighting the importance of offline payments for privacy and resilience, and Feedzai emphasizing its role in central fraud detection and prevention ECB picks digital euro service providers with potential maximum spend above €1 billion^[1].

The ECB's efforts to develop a digital euro underscore its commitment to enhancing the euro's global role and addressing the challenges posed by fragmented regulations and incomplete capital markets. The successful implementation of these framework agreements will be crucial in determining the future trajectory of the digital euro project.