Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), has reiterated the potential benefits of a digital euro as a tool for unifying the EU. In her statement released on Friday, Lagarde emphasized the ECB’s commitment to launching this central bank digital currency (CBDC) at the earliest possible date. She highlighted that while traditional banknotes will continue in circulation, a digital version of the euro is envisioned, enabling seamless online payments across the EU. Lagarde describes this project as a significant step towards building trust and fostering shared economic future. The ECB’s governing council has initiated plans to develop the technical infrastructure required for testing and deploying this CBDC by 2029, with a potential rollout date set for that year. However, the concept of a digital euro has attracted criticism from certain segments of the crypto community, particularly those aligned with decentralized finance (DeFi). Critics argue that these CBDCs could infringe on individual privacy rights through real-time transaction monitoring and potentially undermine the principles of decentralized finance.