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Digital Euro Moves Forward In EU Push For Payment Independence

Strengthening Strategic Autonomy

At an event held at the House of the Euro in Brussels on April 22, central bank officials discussed the role of a digital euro in strengthening the European Union’s financial independence. Participants included Stelios Georgakis, Payments Supervision Director at the Central Bank of Cyprus, and Joachim Nagel, President of the Deutsche Bundesbank.

Redefining Central Bank Role In A Digital Era

Nagel stated that the digital euro is no longer viewed solely as a technical development but also as part of a broader policy direction. He emphasized the need to strengthen Europe’s payment infrastructure to ensure resilience and independence. The digital euro is intended to complement cash rather than replace it, maintaining the role of central bank money in a more digital financial system.

Reducing Dependence On Non-European Infrastructure

According to Nagel, around two-thirds of card payments in Europe currently rely on non-European systems. This reliance is seen as a structural vulnerability. A digital euro could help reduce this dependency by supporting a more integrated and locally controlled payments framework.

Legislative Roadmap And Timeline

Looking ahead, Nagel expressed a strong optimism regarding the legislative process, suggesting that completion could occur by year‑end. This progress may set the stage for the first issuance of the digital euro as early as 2029, in alignment with Europe’s broader ambitions for financial resilience and technological advancement.

Comprehensive Payments Strategy

During the discussion, Georgakis outlined the European Central Bank’s approach to payments. The strategy combines retail and wholesale systems, including instant payments, a digital euro, and infrastructure based on distributed ledger technology. Improving cross-border payment efficiency remains a key objective.

Transforming Europe’s Financial Landscape

The discussion reflected alignment between central banks, policymakers, and other stakeholders on the direction of Europe’s payment systems. Development of a digital euro is positioned as part of a broader effort to strengthen financial infrastructure, support economic resilience, and maintain the euro’s role in a changing global environment.

A New Twitter-Inspired Social Network Is Taking Shape

A new social network called Twitter.now is entering the market, with a founding team that includes former Twitter trademark counsel Stephen Coates. The service is being developed by startup Operation Bluebird.

As Ars Technica reported, X sued the company last year and asked a Delaware judge to block the launch. Operation Bluebird argued in a petition that X had abandoned trademarks including “Twitter” and “Tweet.”

Coates has said the project is not an attempt to recreate the original Twitter. In a LinkedIn post, he described the platform as a new public space focused on trust, transparency and user choice.

AI System To Rate Posts

Twitter.now is currently being tested, with early access priced at $20. Its main feature is VERA, an AI system designed to evaluate posts, verify claims and provide sources and context.

Posts receive a trust score, with users eventually able to set a minimum score to filter their feeds. The company says this approach will give people more control over what they see instead of leaving those decisions entirely to an algorithm.

Moderation Remains A Challenge

Scaling moderation will be one of the platform’s biggest tests. Social networks have repeatedly struggled with content moderation as their communities grow, and newer platforms such as Bluesky have faced similar criticism.

Operation Bluebird says VERA will form the basis of its moderation and verification system. A second version is already planned, with expanded tools that would let users set a specific trust threshold for the posts appearing in their feeds.

For now, Twitter.now remains in an early testing phase, combining the familiarity of the Twitter name with an AI-driven approach to evaluating online information.

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