Europeans want digital euro to be private, safe and cheap: ECB survey

Euro zone citizens expect the European Central Bank’s proposed digital euro to be private, safe and cheap, an ECB survey showed on Wednesday.

“What the respondents want most from a digital euro is privacy (43%), security (18%), usability across the euro area (11%), the absence of additional costs (9%) and offline use (8%),” the ECB said in a report presenting the results of its consultation.

The ECB is working on creating an electronic form of cash to complement banknotes and coin but a digital euro is unlikely to be a reality for four to five years at a minimum.