Fintech Lab works with ECB in digital euro experimentation

The European Central Bank (ECB) has established an innovation platform to collaborate with European stakeholders in the context of the digital euro project. The Fintech Lab of BAFFI Centre is among the almost 70 market participants who have been selected to collaborate with the ECB to explore digital euro payment functionalities and use cases. 

The Pioneers workstream is investigating how conditional payments in digital euro could be implemented from a technical standpoint. It is also developing potential use cases for day-to-day payments.

The Visionaries workstream is conducting research on new digital euro use cases and how they could help address societal challenges, such as digital financial inclusion. Visionaries will share and discuss their proposals with the ECB in dedicated workshops that will run until May 2025.

Findings from both workstreams will be published by the ECB in a report later this year.

Claudio Tebaldi, scientific director of the Fintech Lab, commented: “It is a privilege for us to collaborate with the ECB on the digital euro. This initiative aligns closely with our mission: fostering the adoption of new technologies to promote financial applications that deliver the greatest benefits to society.

Our recent presentation focused on the business-to-business use cases of the digital euro platform. On one hand, the research highlighted the significant advantages that ‘smart’ supply chain finance solutions could offer to small and medium-sized enterprises as well as commercial lenders. On the other hand, it sparked a valuable debate between central bankers and researchers on the ‘optimal design’ of a retail central bank digital currency — one that addresses the distinct needs of both consumers and businesses.

These and other key policy issues will be at the heart of the joint ECB–CEPR–Bocconi conference, which will be hosted by the Fintech Lab in September 2025”.