October 24th, 2033

As I start getting on with my dinner, the hum of the TV commentary in the background reminds me that today marks the second anniversary of the digital euro.

Have you read May 21st, 2033 already?

7:07 PM – October 24, 2033

I’ve just finished writing the latest article for my newsletter. A small accomplishment for the day.

As I start preparing my dinner, the hum of the TV commentary in the background reminds me that today marks the second anniversary of the digital euro, officially adopted by the European Welfare States in 2031. It’s a milestone celebrated as the dawn of a new economic era, though at first, it seemed like just another currency change.

Initially, I really couldn’t see much difference from the old euro. We were already used to electronic payments—just numbers on a screen, right? But soon, things started to shift. Bank accounts disappeared, replaced by digital wallets, promising simplicity and efficiency.

Setting up a wallet was startlingly easy: no paperwork, no queues at the bank, no bored employees. Just log in with your digital ID, download the app, and follow a quick setup process. Within a year of its launch, the digital euro was running so smoothly that the Commission of European Welfare States decided to abolish cash altogether. The last tangible remnant of an analog past was declared obsolete.

“We didn’t need cash anymore,” declares the newscaster, with a triumphant tone. “It was only a tool for tax evasion, and discontinuing it would save valuable energy.” Was cash just nothing more than a criminal’s tool? Were we so blind?

I glance at the small box on my shelf, where a few €50 banknotes lie folded and forgotten…relics of a bygone era, when you could buy a pizza with a couple of crisp bills, no ID or digital wallet required.

The Perfect System

Adapting to the digital euro came quickly. No more PINs, no plastic cards, no bank fees. Just scan a QR code with your smartphone, and you’re done. Some people say that soon, even cashiers in supermarkets will be unnecessary.

I turn up the volume. A representative from the Central Bank of European Welfare States is explaining the new features of the digital euro. The standout? Programmability.

“As you know, it’s like software,” she says with a polished smile. “We can update it in real time, applying the same rules for everyone. This ensures a level playing field and eliminates any inconsistency. Commercial banks no longer have room for independent action, which was often a source of inefficiency and non-compliance.”

She pauses, for a moment. “Take the old war sanctions, for example. Back then, despite official policies, many companies exploited loopholes to continue trading with Russia and China. Banks often turned a blind eye, enabling transactions that undermined our efforts. But now, with the digital euro, we’ve solved that problem. Every wallet is geotagged, and transactions can be blocked in real time if they originate or are destined outside the borders of the European Welfare States. It’s no longer possible to bypass sanctions or operate in defiance of coordinated policies. This level of control ensures fairness and compliance across the board.”

The precision of her explanation feels like a warning to all those that still oppose the digital euro: there’s no room for deviation.

Collective Efficiency

The programmability of the digital euro offers incredible advantages, the representative explains.

For example, citizens’ annual income can be programmed into personalized quotas, spendable only for specific purposes. A centralized algorithm calculates everything automatically, optimizing resources for the collective good.

For some reason this made me think about my parents. I should visit them, but I’ve already reached the maximum number of authorized long-distance transactions for the year. I should plan my travels more carefully. Eh, next year.

The segment shifts to the evolution of taxation. Thanks to these digital wallets our governments knows everyone’s income and monitor all transactions, collecting taxes in real time. “We’ve eliminated tax evasion,” the representative announces proudly. “Every transaction is tracked. Evading is simply impossible.”

Predicting Crime

The TV broadcast moves to crime prevention. The combination of transaction monitoring and surveillance technologies introduced with the Chatcontrol Regulation in 2026 allows authorities to prevent crimes before they happen.

Predictive policing algorithms analyze financial and behavioral data to calculate every citizen’s risk profile. Anomalous transactions—unusual amounts, irregular patterns—are flagged immediately. If anomalies exceed a certain threshold, authorities are notified, and the use of the individual’s wallet is restricted to a 15-kilometer radius from their designated home. A flawless system for keeping potential criminals in check.

Still, there’s one problem: extremists who use Bitcoin. The Commission has banned all information about cryptocurrencies, but some still manage to spread misinformation. “It’s every good citizen’s duty to report those using such dangerous tools,” the representative urges.

The Anomaly

I turn off the TV as dinner nears completion. My digital wallet buzzes with a notification: Anomaly detected in your spending habits.

Maybe I shouldn’t have bought that meat yesterday. But come on—it’s almost my birthday! Surely the algorithm will take that into account. Hopefully.

As I sit down to eat, I reflect on how much life has changed in just a few years. There was a time when we controlled our money. Now, it feels like our money controls us.

Behind the Efficiency

The perfection of digital systems and the illusion of flawless welfare wrap us in a vision of irresistible progress—a social game orchestrated by invisible rules we choose not to question.

Behind the efficiency and absolute control lies a world where freedom is reduced to a calculable parameter, a score to optimize. Every transaction, every move, every thought drifts us ever closer to the programmed trajectory of a society that promises order and safety at all costs.

Is this the world we want?

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