Behind most card payments in Europe stand two American giants, Visa and Mastercard – a dependence recently thrust into the spotlight. After issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several judges at the International Criminal Court were sanctioned by Washington, leaving them unable to use their bank cards – even on European soil.

Issued on: 13/04/2026 - 12:34

It is precisely this vulnerability that the European Union hopes to address with the digital euro, a currency issued directly by the European Central Bank and designed to operate beyond the reach of US sanctions.

But the project is divisive. Private banks fear losing customer deposits – and the fees that come with them – to a public alternative. And with nearly one in ten Europeans already holding cryptocurrencies outside state control, the question remains: will the digital euro be enough to win trust and restore Europe’s financial sovereignty?

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