The EU supports both the online and offline versions of the digital euro.

The European Council (EU) has just supported the launch of the digital euro by the European Central Bank (ECB) with two versions: online and offline focusing on privacy. According to a document released on Friday, the Council reached a consensus with the ECB on the simultaneous deployment of both variants.

The offline version is designed to resemble cash, preventing multiple parties from linking many transactions to the same user, with transaction data not leaving the directly participating devices. The system allows authorized devices to transfer tokens signed by the central bank in direct transactions. However, experts note that ensuring “proximity transactions” like cash is difficult to achieve, and measures against (relay attacks) are still limited.

Private keys for managing offline digital euro will be stored in the secure hardware of certified devices, such as phones or smart cards, to protect user privacy.