The European Central Bank (ECB) is seeking insights from experts in the mobile technology sector to assist in developing an offline model for digital euro payments.
The ECB is exploring the potential implementation of the digital euro’s offline features via an embedded Secure Element (eSE) and embedded SIM (eSIM) within users’ devices. To enhance its understanding of the market, technical, and business facets of this initiative, the ECB is requesting contributions from Original Equipment Manufacturers of mobile devices, Mobile Network Operators, and specialized Trusted Service Managers.
Currently, the ECB is in the midst of a two-year preparation phase designed to establish the groundwork for a possible digital euro issuance. This includes a thorough examination of the technical aspects of the digital euro, with a focus on offline capabilities and strategies for testing and rollout.
The regulator is interested in engaging in technical discussions regarding the deployment of applets on embedded Secure Elements, as well as the business considerations involved, such as the setup and roles of various participants in the process.
These discussions will take the form of 60-minute Q&A sessions scheduled between September 16 and 30, conducted as closed meetings with members of the ECB’s digital euro project team. Interested parties are invited to express their interest by emailing DigitalEuro@ecb.europa.eu by September 10, 2024, providing a brief overview of their relevant expertise in no more than 300 words.