Euro-area online and mobile merchants can apply until Oct. 27 to test beta digital euro payments in a 12-month pilot.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is seeking online and mobile merchants to participate in a 12-month digital euro pilot expected to begin in the second half of 2027.

On Tuesday, the ECB said e-commerce and mobile-commerce merchants operating in the euro area can apply until Oct. 27. Selected businesses will enable beta digital euro payments in remote commerce environments and test how the currency could fit into checkout processes.

The pilot will assess user experience, technical functionality and operational processes of the digital euro. The ECB said the beta version will be close to the currency described by the draft legislation but will not have legal tender status.

According to the ECB, participation will be voluntary and unpaid, with applicants assessed on their market reach, operational readiness and suitability. Successful applicants must also establish or adapt a relationship with a participating payment service provider.

In July, the ECB selected 36 payment service providers from over 50 applicants. The group includes Revolut, Stripe, Deutsche Bank and UniCredit, with participants assigned to support user access, merchant acceptance or both.

The ECB said merchant feedback will inform design decisions. A final decision on issuing a digital euro will be made only after the relevant EU legislation is adopted.

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