The European Central Bank (ECB) selects 36 payment service providers to participate in a year-long pilot testing a digital euro, with the trial set to start in the second half of 2027. The ECB’s announcement follows an earlier application process in which more than 50 providers submitted bids. The pilot is intended to test a “beta” digital euro for a range of payment scenarios, including online, offline, in-store, and e-commerce transactions, using both ECB and central bank staff as users. The selected firms include major banks and fintechs such as Deutsche Bank, UniCredit, and Revolut, along with payment and payments technology firms reported by outlets including Stripe and Adyen. Participating providers help the ECB run experiments with the digital euro’s distribution and payment functionality, while the funds moved during the trial are not described as legal tender. Across coverage, the ECB frames the project as part of the EU’s broader plan to create a digital form of central bank money, with the goal of reducing dependence on existing, largely foreign payment networks. The ECB publishes the list of selected providers as a key milestone ahead of the first pilot phase.