European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will leave office on Feb. 7, 2027, nearly nine months before her eight-year term expires. Her departure has renewed criticism from Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss over Lagarde’s longstanding opposition to Bitcoin and calls for tighter cryptocurrency regulation. Lagarde has described Bitcoin as highly speculative, warned that crypto assets lack underlying value and opposed adding Bitcoin to European central bank reserves. European Council President António Costa said the succession process would begin immediately, while ECB board member Piero Cipollone said a digital euro pilot is planned for 2027, subject to legislation for any full launch. The timing gives European Union leaders time to select a successor before April’s French presidential election, although the process could draw scrutiny over political influence. Markets appeared largely unshaken, and Goldman Sachs’ Simon Dangoor said the institution’s behavior would probably remain similar under a new president.