Why US tech giant Amazon is developing a prototype for a digital euro

With the help of five major companies, including Amazon, the European Central Bank is developing a prototype for a digital euro. In addition to improving the efficiency of large-scale payments, this move could reduce transaction costs, a significant change in the financial world. What is the significance of the ECB’s choice of Amazon, and what does it mean for the digital euro in the future?

On October 2, the European Central Bank announced that Amazon, Accenture, Google, IBM, and Microsoft will develop a prototype for a digital euro. These companies were chosen for their “technical expertise and ability to innovate.” 

What does this mean for Amazon? By creating a prototype for the digital euro, Amazon is able to get ahead of a new technology that could have major implications for global commerce in the future. Furthermore, it provides Amazon with an opportunity to strengthen its relationship with European regulators, who have been reprimanding the company’s business practices in recent years. 

The digital euro is still in its early stages of development, and it is not yet clear how it will differ from existing payment systems like PayPal or Apple Pay. Nevertheless, the ECB has assured consumers that the digital euro will be safe and efficient and that it will complement — not replace — physical cash. 

Developing a prototype for a digital euro with the help of Amazon is a major step forward in finance history for the European Central Bank. Despite the fact that it is unclear how exactly the digital euro will differ from existing payment systems, the potential for global commerce to be revolutionized by this new technology is clear.