European Central Bank announces digital euro advisory group members

Published at: Oct. 27, 2021

The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced the formation of a Market Advisory Group for the purpose of exploring the infrastructural and circulation potential of the digital euro from the perspective of industry spearheads.

The group also aims to uncover the digital euros optimal function within the pan-European currency's vast payments ecosystem. 

The group includes a number of well-established experts from the banking and financial sector, including Aleksander Kurtevski, managing director of Bankart, Antonio Macías Vecino, head of payments discipline at BBVA and Axel Schaefer, payment regulation and innovation specialist at Ingka Group (Ikea), among others.

It is expected that initial consultation meetings will commence in November 2021 and will operate on a monthly basis. The 30 members will work in advisory roles and report their findings for consideration in retail payments discussions within the Euro Retail Payments Board (ERPB).

In mid July this year, the Governing Council of the ECB disclosed plans to commence a two-year preliminary research initiative into the feasibility of the digital euro project, assessing parameters such as infrastructure creation, distribution and design, with an assured intention to “complement cash, not replace it.”

Related: Stablecoins are assets — not currencies, says ECB president

ECB Board Member Fabio Panetta expressed his high-expectations for the project’s success:

“I am pleased that many high-quality experts from the private sector are willing to contribute to the digital euro project. Their expertise will facilitate the integration of prospective users’ and distributors’ views on a digital euro during the investigation phase.”

This is a developing story, so more detail will be added shortly.

Tags
Related Posts
Chairman of the Digital Euro Association: ‘The primary aim of the digital euro is still not clear’
The European Central Bank (ECB) is planning to launch a prototype of the digital euro in 2023. In the next five years, Europe could have its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) up and running. However, there are still many questions surrounding the prospective digital currency. In what form could it be issued? Is the ECB too late for the CBDC party, especially compared to other central banks such as that of the People’s Republic of China? To address these and other questions, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch spoke with Jonas Gross, chairman of the Digital Euro Association (DEA) and member of …
Adoption / May 13, 2022
Cross-border crypto scammers on the hit list for EU agencies
By the end of 2022, scammers shifted their focus to duping crypto investors who desperately tried to recoup their year-long losses. An international law enforcement operation led by European government agencies joined crypto entrepreneurs and businesses to curb cross-border crypto scams since July 2022, uncovering a criminal network operating through call centers. Europol and Eurojust, two EU agencies for law enforcement cooperation, joined authorities from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany and Serbia to investigate online investment fraud since June 2022. The investigation identified a criminal network that incurred losses of over $2.1 million (over 2 million euros) — primarily for German investors. …
Adoption / Jan. 16, 2023
Republic of San Marino Signs MoU With Blockchain Platform VeChain
The Republic of San Marino has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with blockchain application platform VeChain. Per the agreement, the two entities aim to deploy blockchain technology to incentivize sustainable ecological behavior from citizens, local news agency askanews reported on July 22. The MoU was signed between San Marino Secretariat of Industry, Craft, Trade, Labor, Cooperation and Telecommunications, Republic of San Marino Innovation Institute S.p.A, management systems certification body DNV GL Business Assurance Group AS, and VeChain Foundation Limited. “To become the first zero-emissions country in the world” The cooperation is part of San Marino’s strategy to create and …
Adoption / July 22, 2019
Not taking the time to learn about BTC is 'Europe’s biggest risk,' says Belgian MP
Christophe De Beukelaer is the first European politician to convert his entire salary to Bitcoin. He kicked off 2022 with the bold move, hoping to raise awareness about Bitcoin and alternative monetary models, financial education and to get people talking. De Beukelaer first got into Bitcoin and blockchain in 2017, and foresees a future in which Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies play a role as a “counterpart to the traditional financial world.” He gave an interview to Cointelegraph to delve deeper into his vision for Bitcoin and his motivations behind being paid in Bitcoin (BTC). When asked about how long it took …
Adoption / Feb. 16, 2022
Belgium says BTC, ETH and other decentralized coins are not securities
Belgium’s financial regulatory body has confirmed its position that Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and other cryptocurrencies that are issued solely by computer code do not constitute securities. The explanation came from Belgium's Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) in a Nov. 22 report, a draft of which was opened for comment in Jul. 2022. The clarification comes following an increase in demands for answers as to how Belgium’s existing financial laws and regulations apply to digital assets, according to the FSMA. While not legally binding under Belgium or European Union law, the FSMA stated that under its “stepwise plan,” cryptocurrencies …
Adoption / Nov. 25, 2022