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The Digital Euro and Why Stable Coins Matter — Founder Interview

Updated: Apr 30

This story was migrated from our old blog, originally published on March 8th, 2022.

What Is This About?

Central banks worldwide are developing their own digital currencies inspired by crypto — the digital euro being Europe's most significant initiative. This episode explains why CBDCs and stablecoins matter, how they differ from existing cryptocurrencies, and what opportunities they create for European fintech startups.

  • This story was migrated from our old blog, originally published on March 8th, 2022.

  • This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.

  • Central banks take inspiration from cryptocurrencies and are actively thinking about introducing their own cryptos, called central bank digital currency (CBDC).

  • This interview was conducted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, startup scout, founder, and host of Startuprad.

  • Here is our publication calendar: https://calendar.

The Digital Euro and Why Stable Coins Matter — Founder Interview Startuprad.io brings you independent coverage of the key developments shaping the startup and venture capital landscape across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

This story was migrated from our old blog, originally published on March 8th, 2022.

Nobody knows what a digital euro will look like. ECB is in the process of exploring the possibility.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

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New Blog

This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024.


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China is with its digital Yuan ahead of Europe or the US. The ECB is investigating the possibility, with the aim of having a digital Euro 2025. We will see China launching the digital Yuan this year. That is almost 5 years ahead.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

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CBDC is a variant how the Euro will run on a modern infrastructure.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

The Expert

The situation of the Federal Reserve in developing a digital central bank Dollar is like the ECB. Both are early in exploring the topic.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

The Digital Euro

Central banks take inspiration from cryptocurrencies and are actively thinking about introducing their own cryptos, called central bank digital currency (CBDC). There are many podcasts out there talking about CBDC, especially US$, but Startuprad.io is headquartered in the city of the Euro, Frankfurt. So, we thought we shed some light on the perspective from Europe. The European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve are both in the first steps of exploring the possibilities and implications of CBDCs for the Euro and the US Dollar. But there is already a growing market in US$ stable coins, where stable coins in Euro have to stomach losses, due to the negative interest rates in the European Monetary Union (EMU). Tune in to learn more…

The difference in the US is that there is already a working alternative, the US$ stable coins.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

The Video Interview is set to go live on Tuesday, March 8th, 2022, at 04.00 CET



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DEFI is dominated by US$ since many people active in crypto calculate their net worth in US$.Philipp Sandner, Blockchain Expert

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The Interviewer

This interview was conducted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, startup scout, founder, and host of Startuprad.io. Reach out to him:LinkedInTwitterEmail


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What Is the Digital Euro and Why Do Stablecoins Matter?

Central banks are taking inspiration from cryptocurrencies and actively working on digital currencies. The ECB is in the process of exploring the digital euro, though nobody knows exactly what it will look like. This episode examines why stablecoins — cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies — matter for the future of European finance and how they relate to the digital euro initiative.

Introduction

This episode explores two interconnected topics reshaping European finance: the digital euro and stablecoins. Central banks worldwide are taking inspiration from cryptocurrency and exploring their own digital currencies. The ECB is in the process of defining what a digital euro would look like, though the final form remains unknown. The discussion examines why stablecoins — crypto tokens pegged to fiat currencies — play a critical role in bridging traditional and digital finance.

The digital euro represents one of the most significant potential changes to European monetary infrastructure. As the ECB explores this concept, stablecoins have emerged as a bridge between traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem. This episode examines the relationship between CBDCs like the digital euro and privately issued stablecoins, exploring how both are reshaping the future of payments and financial services in Europe.

  • Central banks are taking direct inspiration from cryptocurrencies to develop their own digital currencies.

  • The ECB is actively exploring the digital euro, though the final design remains undefined.

  • Stablecoins play a critical bridging role between traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem.

  • The relationship between CBDCs and stablecoins will shape European financial infrastructure.

Entities Referenced in This Episode

  • ECB (European Central Bank) — Exploring the digital euro

  • Topics: Digital euro, stablecoins, CBDC, cryptocurrency, central bank digital currency, European finance

Quote Highlights

  • Central banks take inspiration from cryptocurrencies and are actively thinking about introducing their own cryptos, called central bank digital currency (CBDC).

  • The digital euro is Europe's most significant CBDC initiative, with potential to reshape how payments and financial services work across the continent.

  • Stablecoins bridge the gap between traditional finance and crypto, offering price stability while maintaining the benefits of blockchain technology.

  • CBDCs and stablecoins create new opportunities for European fintech startups building on digital currency infrastructure.

Related Episodes on Startuprad.io

Relationship Map

  • Jörn "Joe" Menninger → Host of → Startuprad.io

Partner with Startuprad.io

Startuprad.io is the leading independent media platform covering startups, venture capital, and innovation across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Europe. We offer B2B partnership opportunities for companies looking to reach startup decision-makers, founders, and investors.

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Who is The digital euro and what is their role?

The digital euro is the European Central Bank's initiative to create a digital version of the euro. While still in the exploration phase, it would function as a CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) alongside physical cash and bank deposits.

What are the main takeaways from this discussion?

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value by pegging to a traditional currency like the euro or dollar. They matter because they bridge the crypto and traditional financial worlds, enabling faster transactions and new financial services.

About the Host

Joern "Joe" Menninger is the host of the Startuprad.io podcast and covers founders, investors, and policy developments across the DACH startup ecosystem. Through more than 1,300 interviews and nearly a decade of reporting, he documents the evolution of the European startup landscape. Follow Joern on LinkedIn.

Support Startuprad.io

Startuprad.io partners with selected companies that want to shape the conversation around fintech, digital assets, and financial infrastructure in Europe. If that is relevant for your team, you can learn more here: Partner with Startuprad.io

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