Das sagen Beschäftigte.

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.

The National Cash Forum, initiated by the Deutsche Bundesbank in February 2024, has launched a new website to serve as a neutral source of information on all aspects of cash.

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.

The Bundesbank plays a pivotal role in the cash cycle. It issues new banknotes and coins, as well as removing unfit banknotes and coins from circulation.

Fight against euro counterfeiting in North Macedonia and strengthening overall central banking business in Belarus are at the focus of the current twinning and twinning light projects.