Europe’s ambition to launch a digital euro just took a major step forward, with the European Central Bank turning to a Portuguese artificial intelligence company to police fraud on the system.
The choice underscores both the technical challenges of central bank–issued money and the political push to make Europe less dependent on American payment giants.
A €237 Million Deal With Big Implications
The contract with Feedzai, capped at €237.3 million, is one of several technology partnerships revealed this week. Under the agreement, the startup – working alongside PwC – will build models that study how people typically use their wallets and flag deviations that could signal fraud. Service providers would then decide in real time whether to allow or block a transaction.
Although the framework is in place, the ECB will not spend a cent until lawmakers approve the digital euro project. Officials hope legislation will pass around mid-2026, setting the stage for a rollout by 2029. Until then, contracts like Feedzai’s represent preparatory work – laying infrastructure before the political green light arrives.
Europe’s Answer to Visa, Mastercard and Stablecoins
ECB policymakers insist the project is about financial autonomy. The goal is to offer a payments alternative that isn’t dependent on Visa, Mastercard, or dollar-linked stablecoins promoted out of Washington. Board member Piero Cipollone has repeatedly argued the eurozone needs its own rails for digital money to protect sovereignty in a changing global economy.
For Feedzai, founded in Coimbra, the deal is transformational. The company already tracks more than $8 trillion in annual transactions for banks such as Novobanco and Wio Bank. Its entry into the ECB’s flagship digital project puts it at the center of Europe’s attempt to redefine money for the 21st century.
Source: Reuters
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