Finance Vice-Minister Vaida Česnulevičiūtė – Markevičienė has said the digital euro could contribute to "strengthening the international role of the euro" as well as enhancing Europe’s strategic autonomy " by providing an alternative to foreign payment providers." The Vice-Minister was speaking at the Baltic Payment Forum.

The Lithuanian central bank urged the country’s banks, credit unions and electronic money and payment institutions to monitor higher risk customers more closely, recommending areas of focus.

It said that simplified customer due diligence should be applied only when the customer is attributed to a low risk category.  However, simplified customer due diligence should not be applied to financial institutions offering especially risky investment services and to digital currency exchange offices.

The Bank of Lithuania published a notice announcing its positon on virtual currencies and ICOs. It said: "Financial services must be clearly dissociated from activities related with virtual currencies. Banks, payment institutions and other financial market participants should not provide services associated with virtual currencies or participate in their release: this is the approved position of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania."