The European Central Bank secured key parliamentary backing on Tuesday for the launch of a digital euro, an electronic means of payments aimed at making the euro zone less reliant on U.S. credit cards at a time of fraying transatlantic relationships. The digital euro, essentially an electronic wallet guaranteed by the central bank but marketed by banks or fintech companies, will allow all euro zone residents to make payments online and in person. Six years in the making, the ECB's digital cash has become a more pressing issue since Donald Trump returned to the White House, slapping tariffs on even established trade partners such as the European Union and raising fears that the U.S. could one day weaponize its dominance over payment networks like Visa and Mastercard.
