Lecture by Piero Cipollone on "Ever changing payment landscape: What will a digital euro bring?" followed by a discussion with Vice Governor Marko Pahor
There are many compelling reasons to introduce a digital euro, particularly in light of the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape. Retail payments are becoming increasingly digital, with consumers steadily shifting toward electronic payment methods in physical stores and making more purchases online than ever before. However, a significant portion of these transactions relies on non-European providers. This dependence not only results in high fees for European banks and merchants, but also undermines our economic resilience and compromises our monetary sovereignty.
These developments make the case for a digital euro stronger than ever. Failing to act would expose us to growing risks and cause us to miss a strategic opportunity. It would also hold back the ability of European companies to innovate and scale up in this crucial sector. We must ensure that Europeans have access to a secure, reliable, and sovereign digital means of payment - one that complements cash and carries its essential benefits in the digital age.
At Banka Slovenije we will host Mr Piero Cipollone, Member of the ECB's Executive Board in the discussion titled "Ever changing payment landscape: What will a digital euro bring?".
The event will be opened with the welcome address by Acting Governor of Banka Slovenije, Mr Primož Dolenc. In a keynote speech, Mr Piero Cipollone will present the progress of the digital euro project and present the benefits a digital euro would bring. The following discussion with Mr Cipollone will be moderated by Vice Governor of Banka Slovenije Marko Pahor.
The event will take place in the Conference Centre at Hotel Slon on Thursday, 10 July 2025, from 9:00 to 10:00.
The attendance is free of charge, with a direct video broadcast available. The event will be held in English, with a Slovene translation enabled for the in-person attendees only.
Online registration (at the bottom of the page) is open until 30 June 2025.
We look forward to welcoming you at the event.
Piero Cipollone has been a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank since 1 November 2023. He is responsible for the Directorate Banknotes, the Directorate General International and European Relations and the Directorate General Market Infrastructure and Payments.
Before joining the ECB, Mr Cipollone was Deputy Governor of the Banca d’Italia and a member of the Board of the Italian Institute for the Supervision of Insurance. He also served as a member of the Coordination Group for the Cross-border payments programme at the Bank for International Settlements. He previously served as an Executive Director on the Board of the World Bank Group.
Mr Cipollone graduated with honours in economics from the Sapienza University of Rome. He holds a Master of Arts in economics from Stanford University and was a visiting scholar at the economics department of the University of California, Berkeley.
Mr Cipollone is the author of several books. His papers have been published in international journals such as the American Economic Review, the Journal of the European Economic Association and the Journal of Policy Modeling.