ECB Launches Second Phase of Digital Euro Innovation Platform

The European Central Bank (ECB) has opened applications for the second phase of its innovation platform, focusing on testing new digital euro use cases. The initiative includes two workstreams: 'Experimentation' and 'Exploration,' running from January to June 2027. Key areas of study include electronic receipts, multi-party transactions, conditional payments, and front-end features. The exploration stream will specifically examine the role of AI in payments and public sector applications. Applications are open until November 9, 2026, for EU-based entities.