Institutions investigating digital payment infrastructure have consistently shown interest in XRP. Recently, crypto researcher SMQKE drew renewed attention to a notable data point originating from the early phases of Europe’s digital currency conversations.
The discussion centers on France and a potential part for XRP in the creation of the Digital Euro.
On X, SMQKE wrote: “The Bank of France openly discussed XRP as a possible platform to issue the Digital Euro. This is documented.” While the assertion has a documented foundation, the source requires important context.
Remember:
The Bank of France openly discussed XRP as a possible platform to issue the Digital Euro.
This is documented.
https://t.co/6Zcs8KCgub pic.twitter.com/mL5th1jtFf
— SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) October 2, 2026
Where the Reference Comes From
A 2020 report from CPA Australia mentioned that France had “openly discussed Ripple/XRP as a possible platform for Europe’s central digital currency.” Citing XRP’s permissioned network structure, that same report highlighted trust among banks as a primary advantage, differentiating it from permissionless, public blockchains like Ethereum and Bitcoin.
In a separate CBDC analysis, Australian law firm Piper Alderman pointed out that 80% of central banks across the globe were engaged in CBDC-related research. The firm noted that Ripple tested a private iteration of the XRP Ledger to supply central banks with “a secure, controlled and flexible solution for the issuance and management of digital currencies.”
The Piper Alderman publication concluded that existing blockchain technology could be adapted to satisfy the speed and security demands of CBDC initiatives, using Ripple’s proposal as the illustration.
A Distinction Worth Making
To provide clarity, X user MjB38 replied to SMQKE’s post. MjB38 pointed out that the specific wording “comes from a 2020 CPA Australia report, not a Banque de France announcement selecting XRP.”
While recognizing it as “an interesting historical reference,” MjB38 emphasized that there is no confirmation of the XRP Ledger or XRP being selected or utilized for the digital euro.
This distinction matters. A central bank exploring a platform is not the same as adopting or deploying it. The CPA Australia report recorded a discussion rather than a final choice.
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Why XRP Remained in the Conversation
The attention XRP attracts in CBDC talks is deliberate. Most central banks require privacy, speed, and control—qualities that public, permissionless blockchains fail to offer at scale. The permissioned model of the XRP Ledger directly catered to these needs.
This positioning was supported by Ripple’s own CBDC strategy. The enterprise tested a private version of the public XRPL tailored for central bank deployment, granting institutions a recognizable framework combined with necessary control.
The digital currency project for Europe has since moved forward under the management of the European Central Bank. The ECB has not publicly identified the XRP Ledger or XRP as elements of its architecture, leaving France’s earlier conversations—as documented in reports by third parties—as simply a point in the historical record.