ECB and ONCE Foundation partnership puts digital euro app accessibility at the center of design

European institutions are strengthening their focus on inclusive finance as the digital euro app becomes a key tool for future payments across the euro area.

ECB and ONCE Foundation sign accessibility-focused agreement

The European Central Bank (ECB) and the ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities have signed a collaboration agreement to ensure the digital euro app is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, older adults and users with limited digital skills.

Under the agreement, the ECB will rely on the foundation’s expertise in three main areas. First, ONCE Foundation will provide technical advice on accessibility requirements and features. Second, it will collaborate on the app’s design to support clear interfaces and intuitive navigation. Third, it will test the accessibility of the app’s functionalities once the first prototypes are available.

Moreover, this collaboration aims to embed accessibility from the earliest stages of development rather than treating it as a late add-on, which is critical for a large-scale public payment tool.

Accessibility and inclusion as core design principles

“Accessibility and inclusion are not optional features, but core digital euro design principles,” said Piero Cipollone, ECB Executive Board member and Chair of the High-Level Task Force on a digital euro. He stressed that cooperation with organisations such as ONCE Foundation helps ensure that the future central bank money in digital form empowers every citizen in the digital age.

According to Cipollone, the objective is to leave no one behind as payments become more digital across the euro area. That said, designing such a public payment solution requires close engagement with experts in disability and user experience to capture real-world needs.

Jesús Hernández Galán, Director of Accessibility and Innovation at ONCE Foundation, underlined the importance of integrating accessibility features from the start. “It is an honour to contribute to ensuring that the digital euro integrates accessibility features from the very beginning,” he stated, adding that experts with disabilities will join the project team to combine technical knowledge with lived experience.

Beyond minimum legal standards and market practice

This collaboration supports the ECB’s ambition to go beyond the minimum legal accessibility requirements defined in the European Accessibility Act and beyond standard market practice. The ECB plans to adopt an “accessibility by design” approach so that accessibility is embedded throughout design and development.

In practical terms, this means ensuring the app is clear, understandable and easy to navigate for a very broad user base. Moreover, the outcome of this work could also inform user experience requirements for private payment service providers that build their own solutions on top of the digital euro infrastructure.

By systematically involving specialised organisations and end users, the Eurosystem aims to create a benchmark for digital euro user experience that can influence the wider payments market.

Digital financial inclusion and user-friendly features

Digital financial inclusion is described as integral to the technical design of the digital euro. In discussions under the Euro Retail Payments Board, consumer organisations emphasized the need for a public-facing app from the Eurosystem that is accessible to all, considering it a critical tool to guarantee universal access to the new form of money.

Furthermore, findings from the first digital euro innovation platform, which involved around 70 market participants, indicated that the currency could enhance inclusion and accessibility. This could be achieved through user-friendly functionalities such as voice-controlled transactions, large-font displays and guided onboarding processes that support users with varying needs.

Such features align with broader debates on digital euro inclusion features, where civil society groups have called for practical tools that help users who are visually impaired, older or less familiar with digital services.

Insights from vulnerable consumers and onboarding needs

The ECB is committed to actively involving the public in shaping the digital euro, particularly to understand the needs and preferences of potential users. Focus groups with vulnerable consumers highlighted the importance of multiple onboarding options, including in-person support at local bank branches, for people who may struggle with digital-only solutions.

Participants also requested payment flows that resemble familiar experiences, such as existing card or cash-like interactions, to avoid confusion. Moreover, they stressed the value of reassurance, simplicity and control over personal finances, especially for individuals who are less confident using digital tools or who fear making mistakes when paying.

These findings are directly feeding into design choices for the digital euro app, with a view to creating interfaces that minimise cognitive load and offer clear confirmations at each step of a transaction.

Regulatory alignment and non-remunerated cooperation

The collaboration between the ECB and ONCE Foundation, which is not remunerated, is aligned with current European regulations on accessibility, fundamental rights and digital transformation. It also supports the promotion of European standards aimed at ensuring that a future digital euro would deliver a user-friendly experience for all citizens.

In particular, the partnership complements broader eu accessibility regulation compliance efforts, ensuring that people in vulnerable situations, including those with disabilities or limited digital literacy, can participate fully in the evolving payments landscape.

Ultimately, the joint work between the ECB and ONCE Foundation is designed to ensure that any future digital euro delivers an inclusive, intuitive and secure payment experience for the entire population, setting a high standard for public digital money in Europe.