Venue: Círculo de Bellas Artes
Tuesday, 19th May 2026, from 12:00 to 13:30 CEST (UTC+2). Venue: Room Valle-Inclán, Círculo de Bellas Artes (calle Marqués de Casa Riera no. 2, Madrid).
The digital euro stands at the center of the transformation of money in a context shaped by digitalization and geopolitical rivalry. Beyond being a technical innovation, the digital euro raises questions about Europe’s sovereignty within the global financial system, its dependence on external infrastructures, and its ability to project the international role of the euro.
The European Central Bank conceives it as a necessary tool to strengthen financial resilience, improve the efficiency and sovereignty of payments, and provide a public alternative to the rise of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. However, its development also opens debates about its opportunities and risks, its design, and its social acceptance.
This event invites a timely reflection on a key question: do we really need a digital euro?
Hashtag: #Euro_Digital
Participants:
Chair: José Juan Ruiz, Chairman, Elcano Royal Institute | @ElcanoJjRuiz
- Carlos Conesa, Associate Director General Operations, Markets and Payment Systems, Banco de España (BDE) | @BancoDeEspana
- César Díaz, Legal Officer, Federation of Consumers and Users (CECU) | @CECUconsumo
- Alejandra Kindelán, President, Spanish Banking Association (AEB) | @Aebanca
- Petia Niederländer, Director of Payments, Risk Management and Financial Literacy, National Bank of Austria (OeNB) | @oenb
Organized by:
– The event will be held in Spanish and English with simultaneous translation into both languages.
– If you would like to attend, please RSVP to actividades@rielcano.org starting on May 11.
Image: Illustration of the digital euro. Photo: Flavio Coelho / Getty Images.
