The European Central Bank has published its sixth progress report on the digital euro scheme rulebook, setting out a revised interim draft rulebook version 0.91 after reviewing market feedback gathered through the Rulebook Development Group. The update shows the rulebook moving further toward a single set of rules, standards and procedures for digital euro use across the euro area, with supervised payment service providers as the main addressees. The ECB reviewed 4,009 comments received on the 2025 consultation draft and reported that 68% have already been dealt with through rule changes or clarifications. The consultation outcome fed into both substantive drafting changes and further technical work. Of the comments received, 28% were incorporated directly into the new draft and 40% were addressed through clarifications, while another 28% relate to areas still being refined during 2026, including issues such as compensation, holding limits and offline functionality. Key amendments include clearer definitions of actors and services in scope, more detailed participation and adherence requirements, a streamlined onboarding process for payment service providers, and a clearer separation between authorisation and settlement flows to align better with existing payment processes. The ECB also updated rules on Digital Euro Account Numbers and aliases, integrated minimum user experience requirements into the functional requirements, expanded front-end and back-end implementation specifications, revised the risk management structure and refined brand rules on equal prominence. In parallel, it signed standards agreements with the European Card Payment Cooperation, nexo and the Berlin Group, and launched new workstreams on certification and approval and on ATM and payment terminal integration. Work will continue with the Rulebook Development Group on unresolved areas, including liability, switching between payment service providers, timeouts, fallback procedures, dispute management and further offline and point of sale specifications. Sections 8 and 9 and annex F1 remain placeholders to be developed during the second half of 2026, and the ECB said the first final version of the rulebook will be completed after the Digital Euro Regulation is adopted.
European Central Bank2026-07-06
European Central Bank updates digital euro rulebook draft after addressing 68% of 4,009 consultation comments
The European Central Bank has moved the digital euro scheme rulebook to interim version 0.91 after reviewing 4,009 comments from its 2025 market consultation, with 68% already addressed through amendments or clarifications. The revised draft tightens participation, functional and technical rules, while new standards agreements and workstreams support certification and ATM and terminal integration. The first final version will follow adoption of the Digital Euro Regulation.