The European Central Bank (ECB) is advancing to the preparation phase for the launch of a digital euro. The ECB plans to launch a prototype in 2023 and make it available to the public in 2025. The digital euro will be a central bank digital currency (CBDC), issued and backed by the ECB. It will be available to all citizens and businesses in the eurozone and will be used to make payments online and in stores. The digital euro will be interoperable with other payment systems, meaning it can be used to make payments to people and businesses outside of the eurozone. This could help to promote financial inclusion and reduce the cost of cross-border payments.