The Bundesbank identified just under 68,000 counterfeit euro banknotes in German payments in 2025.[1] This represented a 6.1 % decrease in counterfeit banknotes year on year. The loss arising from counterfeits amounted to €4 million, which was a decline of just over 11 % compared with the previous year. In 2024, a loss of €4.5 million was recorded.
The significantly lower total loss arising from counterfeits is due to a marked decline in counterfeit €100 and €200 banknotes. The perpetrators have focused mainly on simple counterfeits of medium-value denominations, said Burkhard Balz, the Bundesbank Executive Board member whose remit includes cash management. Overall, the incidence of counterfeit money remains low: statistically speaking, in 2025 there were eight counterfeit banknotes per 10,000 inhabitants, Mr Balz added.
The table below shows the distribution of counterfeits in Germany across the various denominations in 2025 and the respective changes compared with 2024.
Banknotes
Number
Share (rounded)
Year-on-year change
€5
1,291
2 %
+ 27 %
€10
3,502
5 %
− 26 %
€20
16,198
24 %
− 21 %
€50
33,956
50 %
+ 17 %
€100
9,265
14 %
− 11 %
€200
2,954
4 %
− 49 %
€400
797
1 %
+ 4 %
Total
67,963
At around 31,350, the number of counterfeits detected in the second half of 2025 was lower than the figure for the first half of the year (36,600).
As in previous years, a large proportion of the counterfeits could easily be recognised as such. In some cases, the banknotes had the words “MovieMoney” or “Prop copy” printed on them and did not mimic any of the security features found on a genuine banknote. What is new is that an increasing number of these “simple” counterfeits are taking the form of €50 notes. Up until now, primarily €10 and €20 banknotes have been counterfeited in this way, Mr Balz said. But our attention needs to be on all denominations.
Fewer counterfeit coins
The Bundesbank withdrew around 128,100 counterfeit coins from circulation in 2025. In the previous year, the number of counterfeit coins was around 141,300, which represents a decline of 9.3 % on the year. Statistically, this equates to 15 counterfeit coins per 10,000 inhabitants in Germany.
Counterfeits were identified in only the three highest denominations, and their incidence in 2025 was as follows.
Coins
Number
Share (rounded)
50 cent
1,114
1 %
1 €
9,962
8 %
2 €
117,056
91 %
Total
128,132
At roughly 59,700, the number of counterfeit coins detected in the second half of 2025 was significantly lower than the figure registered in the first six months of the year (around 68,400).
Detecting counterfeits
As counterfeit banknotes are not replaced, banknotes should be checked using the “feel, look, tilt” method. It is advisable to compare a suspect banknote with one definitely known to be genuine and to always check more than one security feature.
Most counterfeit banknotes can be easily identified on careful inspection. In particular, things that stand out straight away are often if the paper lacks grip, a watermark or if the emerald number does not change colour.
By contrast, the image on counterfeit coins often appears unclear or blurred and the coins are usually strongly magnetic or not magnetic at all, unlike genuine €1 and €2 coins which are only slightly magnetic.
Detailed information on identifying counterfeit banknotes and coins is available on the Bundesbank, ECB and police websites.
Counterfeit prevention
Through its branch network, the Bundesbank provides training courses on counterfeit prevention free of charge to the banking industry, retailers and any other interested parties. In addition, the following online training modules (German only) can be accessed via the Bundesbank’s website. Information (in the form of brochures and posters) may also be ordered from the Bundesbank free of charge.
Footnotes
This means that these banknotes were used as a means of payment. In addition, the Federal Criminal Police Office publishes an annual report containing further information on counterfeits withdrawn from circulation by the police.
