ADVERTISEMENTViral messages on social networks say that the European Union wants to get rid of American payment cards such as Visa and Mastercard, as well as foreign online payment platforms such as Paypal and Alipay.
Some posts on X claim that the president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, announced that she was planning to replace payment systems with European alternatives.
A message in Dutch even says that Christine Lagarde wishes to replace these payment methods with thedigital euro from the central bank.
However, Ms. Lagarde’s words were released from their context.
A research on Google brings us to an interview which it gave to the Irish radio station Newstalk On April 2, in which she warned that Europe should stop depending on American and Chinese technologies.
About 6 minutes 20, Ms. Lagarde highlights the importance for Europe to be able to control its own digital payments.
“For the moment, a large part of our digital payments-e-commerce, peer-to-peer, use of the card or telephone-always depend on a non-European infrastructure“She says in the interview.
“Whether you use a card or a phone, you usually go through Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Alipay? Where do all these cards come from? Well, either from the United States or China, “she continued. “And the entire infrastructure mechanism that allows payment – credit and debit – is not a European solution.”
“This is why I think we have to reduce this vulnerability and ensure that a European offer is available, just in case. You never know“Added Ms. Lagarde.
Consequently, by placing her remarks in context, Christine Lagarde clearly indicated that she wanted a European alternative to exist alongside these American and Chinese payment methods – She did not speak to get rid of it.
European equivalents of these payment platforms have already been launched: Challenge for example, is a digital portfolio that allows customers to transfer money using a simple phone number, by gradually offering them the possibility of sending money to other users in Europe.
It was born from the European payment initiative, a network of European banks created in 2021 to provide a unique digital payment service to all businesses and all citizens.
Wero is currently available In Belgium, France and Germany, and other countries should follow.
Eurovenife also contacted the European Central Bank (ECB), which refuted online statements.
“The ECB does not recommend the abandonment of payment systems provided by companies such as Visa, Mastercard, Paypal or Alipay“She said in a statement sent by email.”Rather, we support a diverse and competitive landscape of payment which includes private and public options.
ADVERTISEMENT“A digital euro would constitute an additional choice for consumers and businesses, not a replacement, thus supplementing the existing digital payment methods and methods“Added the ECB.
Eurovenife previously denied several deceptive claims linked to the digital euro And to the alleged abolition of cash in Europe, including the false claims that Spain gets rid of the 50 euros ticket, that the Nordic countries prohibit digital transactions and that Ms. Lagarde wants to remove the liquid to contribute to the fight against climate change.
– Talyta França contributed to this report.
