🚨 Christine Lagarde & the ECB at a Critical Crossroad 🚨
ECB President Christine Lagarde could step down before her term ends in Oct 2027, possibly linked to France’s presidential election 🇫🇷. ECB insists no decision has been made and she remains committed to her mandate.
Meanwhile, the digital euro project is moving fast:
🔹 Call for payment providers expected Mar 2026
🔹 Pilot phase could start H2 2027 for 12 months
🔹 Total dev costs: €1.3B, operating €320M from 2029
🔹 Euro banknotes in circulation: €1.6T | M2 supply: €16.07T
Issuance readiness may hit 2029 if legislation passes on time, else 2030. With inflation easing to 1.7% and rates steady at 2.0%, any leadership change is likely to impact messaging more than policy.
Europe is shaping the future of digital payments — a hinge moment for digital finance.