The European Union is moving ahead with the Digital Euro, and that decision puts Apple Pay in a difficult position. Unlike the United States, where lawmakers continue to resist a central bank digital currency, EU institutions see the Digital Euro as a strategic project. The goal is clear. Reduce dependence on foreign payment networks and regain control over digital payments inside the bloc.
This shift matters because Apple Pay depends heavily on existing card systems. Today, Visa and Mastercard handle most card payments across the euro area. The European Central Bank says “international card schemes accounted for approximately 61% of euro area card transactions in 2022.” At the same time, most eurozone countries lack a domestic card network. That gap strengthens Apple Pay and Google Pay, but it also explains why EU policymakers want an alternative they control.
Wccftech reports that EU leaders increasingly frame the Digital Euro as a sovereignty tool. The bloc wants to move away from US-based payment companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. In that context, the Digital Euro becomes more than a payment method. It becomes political infrastructure.
Digital Euro changes the game
Under current plans, people will store the Digital Euro in official digital wallets. Users will pay online, in stores, and through peer-to-peer transfers. The money will remain unprogrammable, but transaction limits will apply. Most importantly, the system will charge no transaction fees. That single detail changes adoption dynamics overnight. Merchants save money, and consumers face fewer barriers.
At the same time, the EU continues to weaken Apple’s services position. Regulators labeled Apple a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act. As a result, Apple had to allow third-party app stores and revise developer fees across the region. Courts and regulators outside the EU are also circling Apple Pay, including an antitrust probe in Switzerland.
Put together, the direction looks clear. When the Digital Euro launches, currently targeted for 2029, Apple Pay will no longer sit at the center of everyday payments in Europe. It will still exist, but its role will shrink. One of Apple’s strongest ecosystem advantages in the EU now faces a slow and steady erosion.
