Euro cash remains central to Europe’s monetary system, with more than 31 billion banknotes worth over €1.6 trillion and more than 150 billion coins in circulation, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said in Brussels. More than 9 million people have voted in the ECB’s first public survey on ten shortlisted banknote designs, which reflect two possible themes: European culture and Rivers and birds. The survey results will inform, but not determine, the Governing Council’s final decision, expected around the end of 2026. New banknotes are expected to enter circulation gradually from 2029. Cipollone said cash supports financial inclusion, privacy, freedom of choice and payment resilience during power or internet outages. The proposed Single Currency Package, still under negotiation in Brussels, includes measures to strengthen cash’s legal-tender status and mandatory acceptance. The ECB is pursuing the redesign alongside development of the digital euro, which could be issued in 2029 if negotiations conclude by the end of 2026. The strategy also reflects Europe’s reliance on U.S. payment infrastructure: Visa and Mastercard account for 61% of eurozone card payments and nearly all cross-border card transactions, according to 2025 ECB data.