GNU Taler says Taler Operations AG is being formed in Bochum to operate euro payments. GLS Bank, originally intended to issue the electronic money, decided in January 2026 not to launch the service because of internal regulatory issues and a change in priorities, but remains a supporting partner. The new company must apply to BaFin for electronic-money institution authorization and secure operating funds. It cannot operate before approval, so no launch date has been set. Taler is a payment system rather than a new currency; free-software development and deployment in Switzerland continue independently of the change in German operator.