[European Central Bank Official: Digital Euro is Crucial for Safeguarding Europe's Strategic Autonomy] According to Bloomberg, Piero Cipollone, a member of the European Central Bank's Executive Board, stated that the introduction of the digital euro is crucial for safeguarding Europe's strategic autonomy, aiming to reduce reliance on payment systems outside of Europe, such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. Cipollone pointed out that Europe is currently heavily dependent on non-European providers for payment systems, and this dependency will increase if no action is taken. The digital euro is planned to enter its pilot phase in 2027 and begin issuance in 2029. He emphasized that this move is not a reaction to any specific country or company but rather part of the European Central Bank's duty to ensure the proper functioning of payment systems and to mitigate systemic risks caused by excessive reliance on external critical infrastructure. When discussing stablecoins, Cipollone warned that these privately issued digital assets could "threaten financial stability." He believes the solution is to provide the public with a simple and reliable euro-denominated alternative, ensuring an effective combination of public and private money. Currently, the legal framework for the digital euro project is still awaiting final approval from the European Parliament, with some members leaning toward private sector solutions.