# ECB Repeats Conditional 2029 Digital Euro Readiness Goal Ahead of Pilot By Riza Dagoc Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/51218 Published: 2026-11-08T00:44:19.000Z Updated: 2026-11-08T00:44:19.000Z Section: Regulation > The 12-month test is planned for the second half of 2027. Any issuance would require EU legislation and a later decision by the ECB Governing Council. European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone reiterated a conditional 2029 readiness goal for the digital euro, while EU lawmakers continue work on legislation required before the ECB can decide whether to issue it. “Assuming the legislative process is concluded by the end of 2026, we aim to be ready for a potential first issuance in 2029,” Cipollone said in a Nov. 5 keynote in Tirana. The milestone is readiness for a possible issuance, not a commitment to launch the currency in 2029. The ECB Governing Council would decide whether to issue it after legislation is adopted. The Council of the EU agreed its position on the legislation in December 2025, and the European Parliament adopted its position in July 2026. Negotiations between the institutions were underway as of Cipollone’s speech. The European Council has called for those talks to conclude by the end of 2026. The ECB plans a 12-month pilot starting in the second half of 2027. It selected 36 payment service providers from more than 50 applications. Selected merchants and staff from the ECB and 19 national central banks are also expected to participate. The test will use a beta version for everyday in-store and person-to-person payments; that version will not have legal tender status. The ECB’s [pilot plan and provider selection]() have been covered previously. The proposed digital euro would be central bank money for retail payments, designed to complement cash. It would not be a crypto asset. Cipollone cited payment infrastructure as part of the project’s rationale, saying 13 euro area countries rely entirely on non-European companies for in-store card payments. The next stated legislative milestone is the end of 2026, when negotiations are expected to conclude. Any decision on issuance would come later from the ECB Governing Council. ## Links in this article - [pilot plan and provider selection](https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/26091)