“Greece today, according to the data known to us, is now approximately at the Community average (i.e. at 50%) in terms of the extent of the use of electronic means of payment in relation to cash, while the use of mobile telephony has full penetration“, among others, said the governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras, speaking this evening at the Numismatic Museum.

As he added, the public is rapidly getting used to instant payments. It is characteristic that direct payments in Greece are increasing and have come to represent about one-fifth (20%) of the total of interbank payments, while some population groups, following international trends, are increasingly looking for innovation and variety in the forms of money they use.

So, the data of the Greek market rather shows that the digital euro, when issued, has no reason especially in Greece not to be accepted as a modern and reliable means of payment

Referring to the digital euro o commander of the TtE he pointed out that if this is adopted, it will also be issued in Greece with the characteristics and conditions that will apply throughout the Euro zone. The Bank of Greece will participate in the relevant infrastructure and technical preparations like the other central banks of the Eurosystem. It will also carry out as many actions and sub-actions as are necessary to properly inform the market.

As he himself explained, the digital euro, when issued, will essentially be a retail payment system that will coexist and compete with other payment instruments that have comparable characteristics. In other words, it will constitute an additional choice for citizens among various forms of means of payment. It has of course made it clear that it will be prevented from being used for further purposes related to the concept of money, i.e. saving or hoarding, large payments or payments in foreign currencies. These purposes will continue to be served through the banking system, with what we call “commercial bank money.”