The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced the conclusion of framework agreements for the five negotiated procurement procedures linked to the digital euro project.
One of the agreements concerns the provision of an offline payment solution, with Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), in partnership with Nexi and Capgemini, ranked as the first tenderer.
The planned offline capability is considered a key feature of the digital euro, ensuring payments can be made without third-party involvement.
The ECB regards this functionality as essential for privacy and resilience, similar to the role of cash today.
Transactions would be settled directly between users’ devices, such as smartphones, cards, and other compatible hardware, without internet connection or power supply.
This approach would allow payments to be completed locally while avoiding the recording of details by banks, payment service providers, or central banks.
The digital euro, issued by the Eurosystem, is designed to complement banknotes and coins by offering citizens greater flexibility in digital payments.
Like cash, it is intended to be universally accessible across the euro area.
Following the procurement procedure (PRO-009494 Digital Euro Offline Solution), the ECB has concluded a framework agreement for the design, development, and partial operation of the offline component.
G+D, Nexi, and Capgemini will work together on its integration into the wider digital euro architecture and the Digital Euro Service Platform (DESP).
The partnership combines G+D’s experience in security technologies and currency systems, Nexi’s expertise in payment technology and point-of-sale integration, and Capgemini’s role in technology consulting and digital transformation.
Dr Wolfram Seidemann, CEO of G+D Currency Technology, said:
“We are proud to lead this pan-European cooperation, working together with our partners Nexi and Capgemini to bring the digital euro’s offline capabilities to life. This milestone underscores our commitment to innovation and security in digital payment solutions while preserving the privacy and resilience that citizens expect from cash.”
Renato Martini, Digital Banking Solutions Director at Nexi Group, added:
“As we accelerate the digitisation of payments across Europe, our ambition is to enable solutions that are not only innovative, but also resilient. We’re proud to contribute to the development of such an important part of the infrastructure for the digital euro leveraging our strength and knowledge within acceptance technology, that will help ensure seamless payments, also in situations where the terminal is offline.”
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Who is Danny via Freepik
