- Main event, leadership changes, market impact, financial shifts, or expert insights.
- Consortium of European banks to launch euro stablecoin by 2026.
- European Central Bank developing a digital euro for 2029 launch.
Nine European banks, including ING and UniCredit, plan to launch a euro-backed stablecoin by 2026 in the Netherlands, supervised by the Dutch Central Bank.
The initiative challenges dollar-stablecoin dominance, potentially boosting euro’s role in digital finance, but lacks immediate market reaction.
This new initiative involves banks like ING, UniCredit, and Raiffeisen Bank International, emphasizing a unified European financial strategy. The consortium, headquartered in the Netherlands, seeks approval from the Dutch Central Bank as an e-money institution.
Impact of the Euro Stablecoin
The introduction of a euro stablecoin could significantly impact the global stablecoin market currently led by US dollar-pegged tokens. Analysts project this move may enhance euro-denominated tokens, which currently account for less than 1% of the market.
From a financial perspective, reducing reliance on dollar-pegged stablecoins could promote European financial autonomy. It also aligns with broader calls for financial innovation in Europe, setting a benchmark for potential regulatory environments. As Pierre Gramegna, Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), stated: “Europe should not be dependent on US dollar-denominated stablecoins, which are currently dominating markets. Europe should also embrace the potential for financial innovation with stablecoins and tokenized assets. Stablecoins are an inevitable part of this equation.”
Regulatory and Technological Developments
Regulatory initiatives, such as MiCA, strengthen the compliance framework for these digital assets. The European Central Bank’s digital euro project reflects a synchronous effort, albeit with a later target date.
Technological advancements in blockchain are central to this stablecoin’s development, leveraging programmability and instant settlement features. The growth in euro stablecoins could attract attention once introduced to existing DeFi ecosystems, impacting platforms like Ethereum. Historical trends indicate a shift in stablecoin dominance.
Industry-wide Approaches
Floris Lugt, Digital Assets lead at ING, highlighted the importance of industry collaboration:
“Digital payments are key for new euro-denominated payments and financial market infrastructure. They offer significant efficiency and transparency, thanks to blockchain technology’s programmability features and 24/7 instant cross-currency settlement. We believe this development requires an industry-wide approach, and it’s imperative that banks adopt the same standards.” source
