ECB explores AI agent payments for digital euro

The European Central Bank is inviting fintech firms, payment providers and other organizations to test how AI agents could use a digital euro for payments. The ECB opened applications for a new innovation program on Monday. The initiative is split into two tracks: handson testing of payment features and workshops on future use cases for the proposed central bank digital currency. According to the ECB, the testing phase will run from January to June 2027 and will focus on prototypes for features such as ereceipts, multiparty transactions, conditional payments and new user interfaces. The workshop track will examine AIenabled payments, micropayments, machinetomachine transactions and possible publicsector uses. The digital euro is intended as a retail payment option for the euro area, operating alongside cash if it is eventually launched. Any release would still require EU legislation and a later ECB decision. The central bank has already selected 36 banks and payment firms, including Revolut, Stripe and Deutsche Bank, for a separate pilot scheduled for the second half of 2027.