The new Executive Board of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) under Governor Martin Kocher has presented a strategy through the end of 2028, approved by the General Council, that keeps price and financial market stability as the bank’s core mandate while making the institution more open, visible and technologically enabled. The plan is built around five flagship projects: strengthening economic policy expertise and sharing the bank’s data and analysis more broadly, taking a leading role on the digital euro while supporting cash, opening the institution further to the public, expanding the use of artificial intelligence in internal work, and building a stronger voice in selected European and international policy debates. On payments, the OeNB says it is one of six Eurosystem central banks leading work on the digital euro and is also pushing for strong cash acceptance requirements in the EU legislative package, while using its own ATMs to fill rural cash access gaps in Austria. The Welcome@OeNB initiative will redesign publicly accessible areas, especially the Money Museum, with construction due to start in summer 2026, and add new financial education and public event formats. Internally, the strategy targets less bureaucracy, simpler processes, stronger cross-functional cooperation and a risk-conscious use of AI that remains within regulatory, data protection and security requirements. The bank also plans to expand topic leadership, citing its contribution to the Eurosystem’s Integrated Reporting Framework as a model.
Austrian National Bank (OeNB)2026-05-22
Austrian National Bank sets 2028 strategy with five flagship projects on digital euro AI and public outreach
The Austrian National Bank (OeNB) Executive Board under Governor Martin Kocher has set a strategy to 2028 that maintains price and financial market stability as its core mandate while increasing openness, public visibility and technological capabilities. The plan centres on flagship projects, including strengthening economic policy expertise and data sharing, leading work on the digital euro while supporting cash, expanding public outreach and financial education, and using artificial intelligence internally within regulatory and security constraints. The OeNB also aims to simplify internal processes, address rural cash access via its own ATMs, and build a stronger voice in European and international policy debates.