Our Vision
Local currencies deserve to be mainstream
The tools and networks we have built are a foundation. Our goal is a Europe where local currencies are recognized by governments, connected through shared infrastructure, and organized into a federation with a real voice in policy.
Two ambitions drive everything we do next.
Connect local currencies to city governments
A local currency that operates alongside its municipality is far more powerful than one that operates apart from it. When city governments recognize and integrate local currencies, residents can pay local taxes in the currency, receive social benefits through it, and access public services with it. That creates the scale and legitimacy most currencies currently lack.
We are working to make this real. In Amsterdam, efforts are already underway to connect the Cyclos payment stack with the municipal environment, linking business accounts to the civil registry and opening the door to direct integration with city services. This is the model we want to see across Europe.
For municipalities
- Better steering of the local economy
- Less capital outflow from the region
- More effective use of social security budgets
- Reduced administrative costs
- Greater economic independence
For local currencies
- Official recognition and legitimacy
- Real circulation at meaningful scale
- Guaranteed spending through social benefit programs
- Acceptance at the municipal level through tax payments
Build a European federation of local currencies
No single local currency can influence European policy. But hundreds of them, organized together, can. A European federation would give local currencies a collective voice in Brussels, shared infrastructure they can all use, and the legal and technical expertise that most individual currencies cannot afford on their own.
The federation we are working toward operates on a clear principle: local currencies stay in control of their own communities. The federation does not standardize or centralize. It supports, connects, and speaks on behalf of its members, built on voluntary participation and mutual benefit.
What the federation does
Advocacy at the European level
Lobbies EU institutions for supportive regulation, inclusion in public procurement, and dedicated funding for local currency research and development.
Shared infrastructure
Provides open-source software, technical support, and shared services so currencies never have to start from scratch.
Legal and technical support
Helps currencies navigate compliance requirements, governance questions, and the complex legal environment around complementary currencies.
Knowledge sharing
Connects currencies across Europe to share experience, training, and research, so every currency benefits from what others have already learned.
Want to be part of this?
Whether you represent a local currency, a municipality, or a research institution, we want to hear from you. The work is happening now, and there is room for more voices.
Get in touch