The European Parliament on Thursday signaled its support for renewed negotiations to create a digital version of the bloc's currency, the euro.
Some 416 delegates voted in favor, 169 against and 22 abstentions. Now lawmakers are scheduled to meet with member states to discuss the concept later this month.
The EU parliament and member nations hope to reach a deal by the end of 2026. If they reach it, the European Central Bank (ECB) could make the digital euro available in 2029.
The digital euro is being touted as a way for the bloc to break its dependence on US payment systems like Visa and Mastercard as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
According to the ECB, almost two-thirds of card payments in the eurozone are handled by non-European companies, mainly Visa and Mastercard.
