This is a way for Europe to actually, in some sense, overtake the US regarding the euro as a worldwide reserve assets.

And there, given the customer base of Facebook, which is worldwide, the central banks walk up to the fact that if Libra was going live, the adoption could go really fast and could go worldwide again.

The digital euro has the potential to change the monetary system, and we have to see this opportunity.

We shouldn't be shy with the design. Alex, I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time I made a payment using cash.

I think it was probably months ago to leave a tip at a restaurant or something.

To be very honest with you, most of my transactions happen electronically today through bank transfers by tapping my phone, using my credit card, or just, you know, using PayPal.

Yeah, really same here.

I don't carry much cash with me anymore.

And you know, it's a very timely conversation because lately there's been a lot of buzz

around the digital euro. The European Central Bank's proposal for a digital currency

that, quote unquote, would be an electronic equivalent to cash, complementing banknotes and coins

and giving people an additional choice about how to pay. However, since I already carry out

all my transactions electronically, it makes me wonder what all this stock about the digital

euro really is about. How will a digital euro be different from using an app on my phone

to make an instant payment?

I simply don't know.

Well, if you ask the European Central Bank, the ECB, the digital euro will apparently bring a lot of benefits.

It's free.

You can use your digital euro wallet to make payments and receive transfers in digital euros anywhere in the euro area.

They also say it would be secure and private.

You could conduct transactions in your local store or just to pay back a friend

with your phone or card online and offline without anyone knowing who spent that money on what

...