"It didn’t go unnoticed in Frankfurt that Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia in March 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine……Thirteen of the 20 countries in the euro have no domestic card scheme. You use an international operator, or you pay in cash."
It hasn't gone unnoticed that the US is threatening to invade an EU country's (Denmark) territory, either. Would a future President Trump or President Vance threaten to shut down European financial infrastructure if it opposes an annexation of Greenland? Who knows, but better to take away that opportunity for leverage.
The plan is that you can link it to your bank account or open a special account at post offices throughout the EU. There will be phone apps for payments and digital Euro debit cards. Visa/Mastercard & Apple/Google Pay typically charge 3% fees; the digital Euro will have none. That will ensure it is speedily adopted by retailers and quickly supplants the US providers. Also worth noting its technology will be 100% European only, leaving zero vulnerability/leverage to non-Europeans.
Digital euro: what it is and how we will use the new form of cash - The European Central Bank is determined to break the US grip on card payments
I've noticed a few retailers in Canada charging more for credit cards - debit, cash and cheque are all no extra fee's. The only reason I have a credit card is for the rewards and the necessity for things like hotels and car rentals.
If society could work in our favor and not try to force easy credit on us then we would all be better off.
The CC merchant agreements used to prohibit charging the customer for the charges.
Friend of mine that worked at a bank had a furniture store try to do that, she got hold of some muckity-muck at the CC company while the salesperson watched (after warning them that this wasn't how any of that worked), the furniture store had their credit card machines suspended before she left the building. There was copious wailing and gnashing of teeth that she watched with a smile. She refused their offers of a heavy discount to make a phone call again and walked out.
They removed that part a couple years ago from many of the merchant agreements.
If everyone wasn't trying to screw everyone else we'd be better off.