Number of counterfeit euro banknotes remains low in 2025

27 February 2026

• 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn in 2025 representing one of the lowest levels ever in proportion to the total banknotes in circulation
• €20 and €50 most counterfeited denominations, accounting for around 80% of all counterfeit notes withdrawn
• Euro banknotes remain safe and trusted means of payment
• Authenticity of euro banknotes can be verified using “feel, look and tilt” method
• Some 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in 2025, a decrease of 20% compared with the previous year. The likelihood of receiving a counterfeit is low, as the number of counterfeits is very small in proportion to genuine euro banknotes in circulation. In 2025, 14 counterfeits were detected per million genuine banknotes in circulation, which is one of the lowest levels since the launch of the euro (see chart).

Chart

Number of counterfeit euro banknotes detected annually per million genuine notes in circulation

€20 and €50 denominations continued to be the most commonly counterfeited, together accounting for about 80% of the total (see table). 96.8% of the counterfeits were found in euro area countries, while 2.2% were found in non-euro area EU Member States and 1.0% in other parts of the world.

The public does not need to be concerned about counterfeiting but should remain vigilant. Most counterfeits are easy to detect, as they have either no security features or only very poor imitations of the existing features. Notes can be checked using the simple “feel, look and tilt” method described on our dedicated security features web page or on the websites of the euro area national central banks. The Eurosystem also helps professional cash handlers by ensuring that successfully tested machines for handling and processing banknotes can reliably identify counterfeits and withdraw them from circulation.

If you receive a suspicious banknote, compare it side by side with one you know to be genuine. If your suspicions are confirmed, please contact the police or – depending on national practice – your national central bank or your own retail or commercial bank. The Eurosystem actively supports law enforcement agencies in the fight against currency counterfeiting.

For media queries, please contact Alessandro Speciale, tel.: +49 172 167 0791.