[Lagarde: Digital Euro to Launch 12-Month Pilot in the Second Half of 2027] Golden Finance reported on October 19, citing Bitcoin.com, that European Central Bank President Lagarde stated during her speech at the IMF Annual Meeting held in Bangkok on October 17 that Europe is committed to advancing the digital euro as an efficient digital cash equivalent for retail payments. She mentioned that to ensure a smooth and secure rollout, a 12-month internal pilot will be conducted in the second half of 2027, with full implementation targeted for 2028 or 2029. She emphasized that establishing legislation for the digital euro by the end of 2026 is "critical." The European Central Bank previously stated that 36 payment service providers have participated in testing, covering payment, account opening, merchant acceptance, and offline functionalities. In July, the European Parliament had already sent the single currency proposal, which includes the issuance of the digital euro, into inter-institutional negotiations, with final approval still requiring consultation with the Council. Lagarde had earlier warned that if stablecoins are widely used as currency substitutes, it could lead to monetary privatization and systemic risks.