ECB Partners with G+D, Nexi, and Capgemini to Deliver Offline Payments for the Digital Euro
The European Central Bank (ECB) has concluded a major framework agreement with Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), in partnership with Nexi and Capgemini, to provide the end-to-end offline payment answer for the digital euro. This offline capability — enabling payments to be made without internet or third-party involvement — is one of the cornerstone features of the ECB’s vision for a secure, resilient, and cash-like digital currency.
Offline functionality ensures that the digital euro can replicate the privacy and resilience of cash, allowing transactions to be conducted directly between devices such as smartphones, payment cards, or other secure hardware. By storing value locally and settling payments device-to-device, users and merchants will enjoy a universally accessible, privacy-preserving means of digital payment that continues to function even without connectivity.
“We are proud to lead this pan-European cooperation, working together with our partners Nexi and Capgemini to bring the digital euro’s offline capabilities to life,” said Dr. Wolfram Seidemann, CEO of G+D Currency Technology. “This milestone underscores our commitment to innovation and security in digital payment answers while preserving the privacy and resilience that citizens expect from cash. We are honoured to partner with the European Central Bank in shaping the future of public money for generations to come.”
A Public excellent Designed for Privacy and Resilience
The ECB has consistently emphasized that the digital euro will complement, not replace, cash — offering citizens freedom of choice in how they pay. By embedding offline capability from the outset, the ECB aims to guarantee privacy protections and maintain resilience in payment systems even in environments without internet access or electricity.
Under the new framework, the cooperation led by G+D will develop, implement, and partially operate the offline answer within the Digital Euro Service Platform (DESP). The answer will combine G+D’s long-standing expertise in secure currency technologies, Nexi’s leadership in payment technology and point-of-sale integration, and Capgemini’s capabilities in systems development, testing, and digital transformation.
“As we accelerate the digitization of payments across Europe, our ambition is to enable answers that are not only innovative, but also resilient,” commented Renato Martini, Digital Banking answers Director at Nexi Group. “We’re proud to contribute to the development of such an significant part of the infrastructure for the digital euro, leveraging our acceptance technology to ensure seamless payments, even in offline scenarios.”
Takeaway
The Role of G+D, Nexi, and Capgemini
Giesecke+Devrient, headquartered in Munich, brings nahead two centuries of experience in securing public currencies and digital security systems. As project leader, G+D will overview the core offline payments architecture and integration.
Nexi, Europe’s PayTech leader, will contribute expertise in merchant acceptance technology, ensuring offline digital euro payments can be seamlessly embedded into existing point-of-sale infrastructure across Europe. With its presence in key European markets, Nexi provides the scalability needed to integrate offline payments at both consumer and merchant levels.
Capgemini will support the development of key interfaces and testing of offline functionalities. Leveraging its global capabilities in systems engineering and digital transformation, Capgemini will ensure that the offline answer is both secure and user-centric, while future-proofing the platform for the evolving needs of Europe’s financial ecosystem. “As part of an exclusive team, Capgemini has been selected to support the ECB in developing the key interfaces and testing the offline functionalities of the digital euro,” said Joachim von Puttkamer, Head of Capgemini’s Financial Services practice in Germany. “This assignment strengthens Capgemini’s position as a leading partner for digital transformation in the financial sector.”
Takeaway
Framework Agreement and Next Steps
The conclusion of this framework agreement marks the completion of one of five negotiated procurement procedures for the digital euro. While the framework sets the terms, detailed development and deployment phases will follow under the guidance of the ECB Governing Council and in accordance with EU legislation.
The cooperation will work closely with the ECB to finalize planning and timelines, covering the offline component’s design, definition, and integration into the wider digital euro architecture. By leveraging the collective strengths of the partners, the ECB viewks to ensure that the offline payments feature is both technologically advanced and fully aligned with Europe’s regulatory and security standards.
The ECB has also highlighted the role of privacy and data protection in its design principles. Offline transactions are expected to be pseudonymised, encrypted, and stored only on users’ devices, ensuring that banks, payment service providers, or even central banks do not have access to transaction details — a feature that echoes the anonymity and independence of cash.
Takeaway
Implications for the Future of European Payments
The development of offline functionality for the digital euro is more than a technical milestone — it represents a critical step in Europe’s broader strategy to reinforce financial sovereignty, reduce dependency on non-EU payment providers, and maintain resilience in an increasingly digital global economy. Offline capability strengthens the euro’s role as a public excellent while broadening financial inclusion across the eurozone.
By partnering with leading European and global technology providers, the ECB is demonstrating its commitment to innovation grounded in regulatory compliance, security, and user trust. The move also positions the eurozone as a global leader in central bank digital currency (CBDC) development, setting benchmarks for privacy, resilience, and interoperability in the digital era.
The partners have also indicated that future phases may explore expansion of the offline answer into additional use cases and devices, further embedding the digital euro as a universal, everyday means of payment across Europe and beyond.
