Good Morning and Happy Tuesday. This is issue 31 of The Tech Stop.

Europe gears up for digital euro, TikTok spins off US ops, Meta's ad model deemed illegal, and OpenAI launches App Store!

1. European governments will pursue a digital euro, a central bank digital currency, aiming to boost privacy, and safeguard financial stability. More…

   POV: Planned for 2029, this will reshape Europe’s payments infrastructure, and reduce reliance on non-EU systems. Plan for compliance, customer experience and technology changes.

2. TikTok will spin off its US operations, avoiding a US ban, and addressing data security and algorithm governance concerns. More…

   POV: This isn’t just about TikTok — be aware of rising geopolitical and regulatory risk in digital platforms that could impact data ownership and advertising channels.

3. Court rules Meta’s ad model is illegal under GDPR, and New York now requires social platforms to display mental‑health warning labels for younger users. More and More…

   POV: Data privacy and consumer safety regulations are reshaping digital services. Audit user safety to avoid legal, reputational and operational risk.

4. OpenAI launches ChatGPT App Store, transforming the platform from a standalone AI tool into an ecosystem reshaping how digital services are consumed. More…

   POV: An AI‑centric platform will disrupt the existing app ecosystem. Prioritise designing for AI-first distribution.

There is no “Just for fun” this week. That last item^ is possibly the most fun you could possibly have 😀. App Stores are one of the biggest innovations of the last decade, and this blows that ecosystem apart — ignore this at your peril!

That’s everything for this week, and 2025 — have a great New Year, and best wishes for 2026 — see you next Tuesday 🙌