Europe Charges Ahead: Digital Euro Launch Set for 2029 with Expanded ESMA Oversight

Europe's financial landscape is about to get a digital makeover—and regulators are sharpening their teeth.

The Countdown Begins

Mark your calendars for 2029. That's when the Digital Euro officially hits the mainstream, positioning Europe as a frontrunner in the race for central bank digital currencies. No more waiting for banks to open or transfers to clear—this is finance at the speed of light.

Regulators Aren't Messing Around

ESMA isn't just watching from the sidelines. The European Securities and Markets Authority is expanding its supervisory powers, ensuring every transaction, smart contract, and digital wallet falls under its watchful eye. Think of it as Big Brother meets blockchain—only with more paperwork and less anonymity.

Why This Matters

For crypto enthusiasts, this is validation on a continental scale. Traditional finance finally admits what we've known for years: digital assets are the future. But with ESMA's expanded oversight, expect more rules, more compliance, and probably more forms to fill out—because what's innovation without a little bureaucracy?

The Bottom Line

Europe's betting big on digital currency. Whether it's a masterstroke or just another way to track your spending remains to be seen. But one thing's clear: the old guard is playing catch-up, and they're bringing the rulebook with them.

Key Takeaways

• The typical first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old, the highest on record and up from the late 20s in the 1980s.
• High mortgage payments, rent, and student loans have made it harder for younger people to afford what was once a milestone of adulthood.
  

Housing is so unaffordable and younger adults are so financially stressed, most are now entering their fifth decade of life before they're able to buy a house.

That's according to a report by the National Association of Realtors, released on Tuesday, which found the median age of a first-time buyer hit a record high of 40 in 2025. That's a far cry from the 1980s, when typical first-time buyers were in their late 20s.

What This Means For The Economy

The increasing age of first-time home ownership shows how the "American dream" is growing harder to attain despite the overall prosperous economy.

The report highlighted how owning a home has shifted from a standard milestone to a nearly unaffordable luxury within a single generation, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Soaring prices combined with mortgage rates hovering between 6% and 7% in recent months have pushed up monthly mortgage, insurance, and tax payments for newly purchased houses to a median of $3,106, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. That's nearly double the $1,597 payment in January 2020.

Related Education

The soaring monthly payment is only one of many financial obstacles. First-time buyers surveyed by the NAR said high rent and student loan payments were hindering their ability to save up down payments. Little wonder that first-time homebuyers only made up 21% of home sales, a record low according to the NAR, and down from around 40% typical before the 2008 housing crash.