The Digital Euro’s Biggest Dilemma: Privacy vs. Control
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Debates around the digital euro are intensifying as European institutions negotiate its final design, particularly around privacy and holding limits. The EU Council has recently backed the European Central Bank proposal, which includes both online and offline payment functionality. However, questions remain about how “cash-like” privacy can coexist with strict anti-money laundering requirements.
According to Apostolos Thomadakis, these privacy questions represent one of the hardest political trade-offs. He expects lawmakers to reach a compromise where everyday retail payments rely on online functionality, while regulators strengthen enforceable privacy safeguards to maintain public trust in the system.
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digital euro privacy debate sounds nice on paper but once aml kicks in, “cash-like” always seems to disappear