The European Central Bank published its Eurosystem Comprehensive Payments Strategy on March 31. The document explicitly endorses EPI's Wero wallet as a pan-European point-of-interaction payment solution, reiterating institutional support first expressed in July 2020.
More than two-thirds of euro area card-based transactions are processed based on business rules set by non-European companies, according to the strategy. The Eurosystem identified five criteria for viable European alternatives: pan-European reach, convenience and low cost, safety and efficiency, European brand and governance, and global acceptance.
The strategy confirmed the Eurosystem's target of issuing a digital euro by 2029, with a pilot exercise starting mid-2027. The ECB described the digital euro as complementary to private solutions like Wero.