The governing council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has announced it will begin the ”preparation phase” for the digital euro project following a two-year investigation.
In an Oct. 18 notice, the ECB said it plans to “start laying the foundation for the possible issuance of a digital euro” beginning on Nov. 1, adding the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) was not a foregone conclusion. The announcement followed the release of a 44-page report on a potential digital euro’s design and distribution.