European banks led by BNP, ING push ahead on euro stablecoin plan

Group 1 - A consortium of 10 European banks, including ING, UniCredit, and BNP Paribas, is launching a euro-pegged stablecoin to counter U.S. dominance in digital payments [1][3] - The project was first announced in September, and BNP Paribas has recently joined the group [3] - The stablecoin aims to maintain a constant value and is backed by traditional currencies, reflecting the growing trend of stablecoins in the market [4] Group 2 - Qivalis, the company behind the stablecoin, will be led by CEO Jan-Oliver Sell, with Floris Lugt as CFO and Howard Davies as chair [2] - Qivalis is applying for an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the Dutch central bank, expecting to launch the stablecoin in the second half of 2026 [5] - The licensing process for Qivalis is anticipated to take six to nine months [5]