European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde released a statement on Friday touting the digital euro, a central bank digital currency (CBDC), as a unifying force in the European Union (EU) and said the ECB is aiming to launch it “as early as possible.”

“As much as banknotes will continue to circulate, we want cash to be in the form of a digital euro as well,” Lagarde said, adding that the central bank digital currency could be used for online payments in the EU. She continu