In a newly published press release the European Central Bank doubled down on its commitment to the integration of technologies that will benefit the end user.The statement noted that "The Eurosystem wants to support the use of innovative solutions in its market infrastructures while maintaining the safety and efficiency of TARGET Services.

The ECB’s plans to build a payments system on distributed-ledger technology could lead to the issuance of a digital euro.

The European Central Bank wants to establish a blockchain-based payment system that allows financial institutions to settle transactions in central-bank money, a potential step toward introducing a wholesale central bank digital currency,

The anti-government protesters, chanting "Resignation" and "No to the Euro", threw red paint, firecrackers and Molotov cocktails at the EU building in Sofia, setting the front door on fire before the police pushed them away.

Several thousand people rallied outside Bulgaria's central bank and the European Commission building in Sofia to protest government plans to introduce the euro as official currency.Clashes broke out between police and nationalist protesters in Bulgaria's capital,