In the period from January to June 2024, the Bundesbank removed significantly more counterfeit money from circulation in Germany than in the six months prior, detecting around 38,600 counterfeit euro banknotes with a nominal value of €2.4 million. This was 29% more than in the second half of 2023. Meanwhile, the total loss arising from counterfeit banknotes was only slightly up, by just under 5%. The increase was driven by easily identifiable counterfeits, especially of €10 and €20 banknotes, said Burkhard Balz, the Bundesbank’s Executive Board member whose remit includes cash management.

Auf Initiative der Deutschen Bundesbank wurde im Februar dieses Jahres das Nationale Bargeldforum gegründet. Das Forum bringt alle relevanten Akteure des Bargeldkreislaufs an einen Tisch und erarbeitet gemeinsam Lösungsideen zu aktuellen Bargeldfragen. Bundesbankvorstand Burkhard Balz stellt die Arbeit und die Ziele des Forums näher vor.

Laut der Umfrage zum Kreditgeschäft im Euroraum vom Januar 2025 wurden die Kreditrichtlinien (d. h. die bankinternen Richtlinien oder Kriterien für die Kreditgewährung) für Unternehmenskredite (inklusive Kreditlinien) im vierten Quartal 2024 erneut verschärft; per saldo meldeten 7 % der Banken eine Verschärfung. 

German economic output rose unexpectedly in the third quarter of 2024, according to the Monthly Report. However, none of the key demand components currently give any cause to expect a marked recovery in the short term. “The industrial sector is faced with a difficult environment and is under high pressure to adapt,” the economists write. In addition, the labour market is becoming increasingly gloomy owing to the protracted bout of economic weakness.

In Deutschland bezahlen Kundinnen und Kunden im Einzelhandel am schnellsten mit dem Smartphone oder der Smartwatch. Eine Zahlung dauert damit durchschnittlich 14 Sekunden. Dies geht aus einer aktuellen Erhebung der Deutschen Bundesbank zur Bezahlgeschwindigkeit verschiedener Zahlungsmittel hervor.

Anyone wishing to conduct one or more of the banking activities specified in the Banking Act on a commercial scale in Germany requires authorisation from the competent supervisory authority.

In 2023, the Bundesbank registered more counterfeit money in Germany than in the previous year. In total, there were around 56,600 counterfeit euro banknotes with a nominal value of €5.1 million. “The increase in counterfeit figures was driven by a handful of major cases of fraud, predominantly involving counterfeit €200 and €500 banknotes,” stated Bundesbank Executive Board member Burkhard Balz. Overall, the incidence of counterfeiting is still low and the risk to members of the public remains small, he said.