PANews reported on June 16 that according to Bitcoin.com, European Central Bank President Lagarde said that the ECB is close to completing the preparations for the issuance of the digital euro and is currently awaiting legislative approval. Lagarde said that the plan stems from changes in the payment habits of consumers in the eurozone - some people prefer electronic payments, while another group still relies on cash, so the digital euro will circulate in parallel with paper money, and new versions of paper money will also be issued in the next few years.

The ECB aims to build a unified cross-border payment system through the digital euro, covering individuals, businesses and online transactions, but emphasizes that it is positioned as a supplement rather than a replacement for existing payment tools. The project was launched six years ago, and the technical preparations are basically ready. The implementation progress depends on the EU legislative process.