Nexi exec says group interested in digital euro, no formal talks with ECB

MILAN: Nexi is interested in working on a digital version of the euro, but there are no formal talks with the European Central Bank (ECB), the Italian payment group's corporate and external affairs director Saverio Tridico said on Friday. Nexi CEO Paolo Bertoluzzo was quoted by CNBC as saying on Wednesday that the company was "contributing to the design" of the ECB's proposed digital currency.

"The digital euro is of strategic importance and Nexi as a pan-European operator feels a responsibility to contribute on this issue, but there are no formal contacts with the ECB", Tridico told Reuters, when asked for clarification about Nexi's involvement in the project.

In July the ECB's Governing Council formally gave the go-ahead for the initial phase towards launching a digital version of the euro, part of a global push to meet growing demand for electronic means of payment and tackle a boom in cryptocurrencies.