14 November 2018 (updated on 11 December 2023)
You are one of about 350 million people who share a single currency. The euro is an important part of your daily life – it’s in your wallet and your bank account. But it’s much more than just a convenient way to pay. It allows you to save and invest with confidence. It makes it easier to live, work and study in another euro area country. And it helps you to pursue your dreams and ambitions.
The euro has been around for 25 years now and, in that time, it has proved to be a stable and trusted currency. Together with the central banks of euro area countries, the ECB looks after the euro so that you can be confident your money is safe, and so that you can benefit from all the advantages the euro brings – both now and in the future.
Stability and prosperity
Most people want to have a good job that supports them and their family. All of us rely on stable money and a sound banking system to help us plan our futures.
That’s where the ECB comes in. We work to keep prices stable, giving people the confidence to invest or save. Price stability is a precondition for prosperity and an economically stable future that can be planned for. Stable prices mean that your money will maintain its value and that companies can invest and grow.
The value of unity
The euro is not just a currency. It has transformed the way we do business, and has become an integral part of our identity, uniting diverse communities of people across the euro area. It is a source of comfort and security, reminding us that we are part of a larger family in Europe.
We have come together to form the world’s largest trading bloc – the EU – and create the single market for Europe. The euro has advanced European integration by enabling people in the euro area to take advantage of the single market.
The euro makes it easy
You can use the euro cash in your wallet in 20 EU countries without having to change money, making exchanges fees a thing of the past. The euro makes living in or travelling to those countries simpler and less costly. It allows consumers to compare prices directly and pay across borders. It also helps to reduce businesses’ concerns about exchange rates.
Fit for the future
The euro is a currency that evolves alongside the changing financial needs and choices of European citizens, for example by providing safe banknotes and fast and convenient digital payments.
At the ECB we keep your euro banknotes safe and secure by protecting them against counterfeiters. We also want our banknotes to be as environmentally friendly as possible and more inclusive of Europeans of all ages and backgrounds. That’s why we are redesigning euro banknotes.
To future-proof our money, we are also preparing for a possible digital euro. Like cash, a digital euro would allow you to make fast payments across the euro area without additional costs.
This work will ensure you can keep benefiting from the euro, today and tomorrow.
