Vienna, June 24, 2026 – The Digital Euro is currently in its preparation phase: the European Central Bank is working on its design and infrastructure, while EU legislators are developing the legal framework. For businesses in retail, tourism, commerce and mobility, this raises concrete questions – from acceptance requirements and transaction costs to interoperability with existing payment systems. Companies that build expertise early and contribute their perspectives can actively help shape its implementation.

P19 is addressing these developments by providing a platform for exchange, insight and networking among experts from payment infrastructure, business and regulation across Austria, the DACH region, Europe and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE).

The focus is on key Digital Euro use cases, for which P19 offers access to a Europe-wide network of experts and facilitates targeted connections for media inquiries, interviews and expert commentary:

Retail & Commerce
Acceptance will only grow where the Digital Euro delivers real added value compared to existing payment methods – simple, cost-efficient and reliable.

Commerce & SMEs
Low transaction costs and reliability are essential prerequisites. The Digital Euro has the potential to significantly reduce dependence on non-European payment systems.

Tourism
Tourism is cross-border – payments should be too. A unified European payment instrument can simplify transactions for both guests and service providers.

Mobility
From ticket purchases to automated settlement processes, the Digital Euro can establish new standards for seamless and interoperable payments in the mobility sector.

"The Digital Euro presents a genuine opportunity for Europe – a shared payment infrastructure that transcends borders and reduces dependencies. At P19, we bring together the sectors that will drive this transformation in practice and help shape it collaboratively," says Birgit Kraft-Kinz, initiator of P19.

About P19

P19 is Europe’s platform for more than 1,200 Payment Pioneers. The Payment Pioneers form a rapidly growing network dedicated to increasing the visibility of the highly relevant topic of payments across Europe and internationally, fostering collaboration and innovation. P19 stands for exchange, innovation and the development of a sustainable European payments industry.