The pressing question of whether the Digital Euro is an innovation Europe truly needs, or merely a solution in search of a problem, took center stage in our latest episode of The We Are Innovation Podcast with monetary policy expert Leonardas Marcinkevičius of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute.
In this thought-provoking discussion, host Federico N. Fernández and Marcinkevičius dissected the European Central Bank’s ambitious Digital Euro project, drawing from insights presented in the recent Epicenter report “Digital Euro: Is a CBDC Really Necessary for Europeans?”
The conversation examined how this new form of currency could fundamentally reshape Europe’s existing monetary landscape. Marcinkevičius brought his expertise to bear on several critical issues, including the implications of proposed free Digital Euro accounts and their potential impact on traditional financial institutions.
Looking beyond theory, the discussion grounded itself in real-world examples, notably examining the cautionary tale of Nigeria’s eNaira and its struggled adoption. Security concerns took center stage as well, with particular attention paid to past ECB system vulnerabilities and the risks inherent in centralizing digital currency infrastructure.
The episode explored the Digital Euro’s broader implications for monetary policy, including its relationship with inflation targets and the controversial requirement for mandatory merchant acceptance.
About our guest: Leonardas Marcinkevičius brought a wealth of expertise from his role at the Lithuanian Free Market Institute, where he specializes in monetary policy, inflation, and public finance. His background as a business journalist and regular contributions to Lithuanian media on economic policy made him uniquely qualified to shed light on this complex topic.
Listen to join the conversation about the future of digital currency in Europe and the crucial questions we need to be asking about the Digital Euro project.
For more information, check out the full Epicenter report: “Digital Euro: Is a CBDC Really Necessary for Europeans?”
Don’t miss this episode of The We Are Innovation Podcast. Tune in now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, Spreaker, Pandora, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Join us as we explore how innovation, new technologies, and human creativity are shaping the future and improving our lives. The future is calling, and it starts with this podcast.
