The European Central Bank (ECB) is recruiting e-commerce and mobile commerce operators to participate in a 12-month digital euro pilot project starting in the second half of next year. According to CoinDesk, this pilot project will test online and offline payments using a test-only alternative currency, similar to but not legal tender digital euro, ahead of its official issuance in 2029. The media explained, "The ECB's recruitment of merchants carries significance beyond a mere technical test. For consumers to use the digital euro, a sufficient number of merchants must be available to accept it. Therefore, merchant acceptance is both a policy issue and a commercial one." It added, "The success of the project will depend on widespread merchant acceptance and low payment fees."
