While more than half of the survey participants said that they did not know about the digital euro, even among the rest, there were those who had misinformation about what the digital euro was. For example, approximately 16% of survey participants perceive the digital euro as a cryptocurrency, while nearly 30% think that the digital euro is an application designed to completely eliminate cash.

However, one of the most interesting results of the survey is that even those who do not know about the digital euro are willing to get used to this new payment. 50% of those surveyed stated that they would be willing to adopt the digital euro if it became available as an additional payment option. This can be considered a positive sign about the potential use of the digital euro.

While evaluating the survey results, Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel emphasized that the public does not have enough information about the digital euro. Nagel stated that the survey showed that “a lot of information still needs to be provided” and that more emphasis should be given to the promotion of the digital euro.

Another important result of the survey is the importance given to the security and privacy features of the digital euro. More than 75% of respondents think it is important that the digital euro provides greater privacy than existing digital payment options. This situation also coincides with statements showing that data security and privacy are prioritized in the design of the digital euro.

The European Central Bank claims that the digital euro will enable offline payments and transaction details will only be known to the person making the payment and receiving the payment. This feature aims to address data security concerns that have come to the fore especially with the proliferation of digital payments.

More than 70% of those surveyed state that it is important for the digital euro to be based on European infrastructure. This is an important issue in terms of emphasizing the reliability and stability of the digital euro.

The preparation phase for the digital euro in Germany is aimed to be completed in October 2025. In this process, important steps will be taken such as finalizing the rules for the use of the digital euro and identifying potential issuers.

Last year, the European Commission presented a draft regulation aimed at creating a legal framework for the digital euro and protecting the use of cash. These initiatives are considered important steps towards removing legal and technical obstacles to the official introduction of the digital euro.

Bundesbank officials state that, according to current plans, the first payments with the digital euro can be made in 2028 at the earliest. This date also covers the implementation process after the introduction and infrastructure of the digital euro is completed.

Survey results reveal that even in one of Europe’s leading economies, such as Germany, the number of people who are unaware of the digital euro is high. This highlights the need to focus more on the promotion of the digital euro and inform the public about these new payment options. The success of the digital euro seems to depend on both gaining public trust and working integrated with traditional payment methods.