Latest News

Astrid Mitchell

23 April 2026

5 min read

DataVault 2.0 - Digging for Data… Quicker, Smarter, Deeper

Reconnaissance International, co-publishers of Currency News, have launched DataVault 2.0, which has been comprehensively overhauled with a wealth of new information and an intuitive interface, and is now offered with a range of flexible subscription options to suit all budgets and research needs.

Free News Free

Astrid Mitchell

23 April 2026

2 min read

More Awards for the Caribbean Guilder

The Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten’s new 200 Caribbean guilder has won the International Bank Note Society’s (IBNS) Bank Note of the Year Award for 2025.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

1 min read

Royal Australian Mint - New $1 Coin

To celebrate 60 years of decimal currency, the Royal Australian Mint has released a limited-edition $1 circulating coin.

Coins

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

1 min read

Banknotes Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Out with the old, in with the wild! After 50 years of historical figures, the Bank of England is switching to nature-themed banknote designs. The Bank of England announced the theme came top in its public consultation, chosen by around 60% of the 44,000 respondents, ahead of architecture and landmarks (56%), historical figures (38%), arts, culture and sport (30%), innovation (23%), and noteworthy milestones (19%).

Banknotes

Phil Moffat

1 April 2026

2 min read

A Saving of 800 Million Banknotes Over Four Years…

De La Rue held two workshops, at HSP Asia in Kuala Lumpur last December and HSP EMEA in Rabat this February respectively, on the topic of making informed currency choices. Central to making such choices is the company’s DLR Analytics platform, as described here.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

2 min read

Record Order Book and a Strong Performance from G+D

Giesecke+Devrient (G+D)’s 2025 results detail its strong order intake for the year, a record at €3.6 billion, highlighting its strong growth prospects in providing SecurityTech for mission critical infrastructure.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

4 min read

Papua New Guinea Marks 35-Year Polymer Milestone

35 years ago, in 1991, Papua New Guinea (PNG) introduced its first polymer banknote – the 2 kina. This made it the first country after Australia to adopt the then new technology, and helped begin a period of change in currency across the Pacific region.

Features

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

2 min read

Exceptionally Successful Year for Orell Füssli

Orell Füssli has just released its 2025 annual report, which shows revenue up by 8% to CHF 272.8 million, operating profit up by 17.7% to CHF 41.3 million and net profit up by 31% to CHF 23 million.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

3 min read

The Animated Precision of QUANTUM stripe™

In the evolving landscape of currency design, the boundary between scientific innovation and artistic expression is becoming increasingly blurred. Central banks have long sought features that are not only impossible to replicate but also intuitive for the public to verify.

Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

4 min read

China Celebrates Year of the (Fire) Horse

2026 is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. And not just any old horse, but specifically the Fire Horse.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

2 min read

BRBNMPL Seeks Partners for In-House Colour Shift Feature Manufacturing

Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Pvt Ltd (BRBNMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India, has issued a global Expression of Interest (EOI/010/CO/2025-26) to establish a manufacturing facility for colour shift films (CSF), colour shift pigments (CSP), and related security features at its Mysuru site.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

4 min read

2025 Proves ‘Steady State’ Year for Cash Management Companies

Over the course of February and March, five of the leaders in the distribution and management of cash in circulation published their annual results for 2025 – ATM and self service specialists Diebold Nixdorf and NCR Atleos, and CIT and cash handling companies Prosegur, Brinks, and Loomis.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

3 min read

Banknote Conference 2026 – Nearing Record Highs

One of the currency industry’s premier global gatherings opens in Washington DC in little over a month. To be held from 11-14 May in the US capital, Banknote Conference 2026 will seek to reaffirm its reputation as arguably the leading technical forum devoted exclusively to banknote production, design, security, and circulation.

Events

Antti Heinonen

1 April 2026

9 min read

Developments in the Number of Banknotes in Circulation and Currency Denomination Structures

This article provides further light on a topic addressed in Currency News™ last May, namely the development of the number of banknotes in circulation. The estimate then was like a first trial and resulted globally in 921 billion banknotes. It was based on data available at the time consisting mostly of end-2023 or 2024 figures.

Features Free Free

Dr Wolfram Seidemann

1 April 2026

4 min read

Shaping the Future of Public Money

Technological innovation is advancing at a pace that is transforming how societies pay, transact, and interact. Changes that once unfolded over decades now occur within years, fundamentally redefining the role and nature of money. As reflected in our new white paper ‘Currency Fast Forward – Future Developments of the Currency Cycle’, one insight stands above all: the future of money will not be determined by a choice between physical and digital forms, but by their ability to coexist and reinforce one another.

Features

Alex Sadler

1 April 2026

3 min read

Mints Exceed Expectations for 2025

Monnaie de Paris (MdP) has announced strong financial and operational results for 2025, marking its sixth consecutive year of positive profitability and reinforcing the institution’s ongoing transformation. Contrary to forecasts of a decline in revenue following an ‘exceptional year’ in 2024, largely driven by the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, MdP has reported an historic turnover at year end.

Coins Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

4 min read

In Other News

To celebrate 60 years of decimal currency, the Royal Australian Mint has released a limited-edition $1 circulating coin.

News

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

1 min read

Surge in Australian Counterfeits from Asia

According to the Australian Border Force (ABF), seizures of counterfeit banknotes have surged in the first six weeks of 2026 compared to last year. During this period, the ABF intercepted 57 packages containing $191,130 in fake currency at sorting facilities. While these detections are not included in standard, official parts-per-million (ppm) counterfeiting statistics, they highlight a growing security threat.

Counterfeiting

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

2 min read

Crane NXT’s Results Reflect the Impact of Acquisitions, and Success of Micro-Optics

Recent financial results from Crane NXT highlight growing global demand for advanced authentication technologies, especially its platform of micro-optic security features for banknotes. In mid February the company reported strong performance for the fourth quarter and full year ending 31 December 2025, reflecting wider adoption of its currency and security solutions by central banks worldwide.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

1 April 2026

5 min read

Inside Europe’s Largest State-Owned Banknote Printing Facility

In the December issue of Currency News™ we ran an article entitled ‘Reports of the Death of Cash are Greatly Exaggerated’, paraphrasing Mark Twain’s immortal words in response to reading his own obituary. In it, we mused over how widescale reports of the death of cash are at odds with numerous investments around the world in banknote production and distribution.

Companies