Latest News

Antti Heinonen

28 June 2021

8 min read

The Paradoxical Development of the Usage of Cash: a Global Update

The lockdowns and travel restrictions caused by the pandemic have had a great influence on retail shopping and payment habits. Besides the increase in online shopping, the growing use of contactless and mobile payments media have decreased the use of cash in transactions. Several recent payment studies confirm these developments.

COVID-19 Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

2 min read

Albania Rolls Out New Series with Two More Notes

The Bank of Albania has unveiled the next two denominations in its new series – the 1,000 and 10,000 lekës, which go into circulation at the end of June.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

2 min read

New Traffic Light Security Ink from GSI

Gleitsmann Security Inks (GSI) has launched what it terms the ‘world’s first traffic light for banknotes’ in the form of mouve GSI, a unique security feature that will help safeguard cash and other security documents using luminescent colour effects.

Substrates, Features Technology

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

2 min read

The New £50

The introduction of the new £50 was undertaken by the Bank of England Governor, Andrew Bailey, at a special ceremony at Bletchley Park, once the top-secret home of the World War Two codebreakers and where Alan Turing, the subject of the note, carried out his most famous work breaking the Enigma code.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

16 min read

The Bank of England – Planning for the ‘New Normal’

Cash in the UK is in an interesting place at the moment. The cash paradox – higher demand, lower use – is very much in evidence, as are growing concerns about the future of cash allied to branch and ATM closures, concerted moves from the government downwards to encourage people to pay digitally, and what the cash infrastructure could and should look like in the future.

Interviews

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

2 min read

Changes to Currency News, and New Online Platform

After several months of a COVID-enforced digital only publication of Currency News™, we are happy to announce the resumption of the hard-copy distribution of the newsletter from July. Thank you for your patience during the disruption and we ask a little more forbearance as delivery services attempt to return to something like their pre-COVID levels.

News

Phil Holland

28 June 2021

4 min read

Sustainability and Protecting the Environment in Banknote Presses and Printing

COVID has given companies the opportunity to reflect and look at sustainability and the environment with more pressing urgency. There have been webinars and virtual conferences where this topic has been headlining, with paper manufacturers in particular demonstrating their activities to reduce carbon footprints and ensure the future and life cycle of banknotes is protected.

Companies Sustainability Technology

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

5 min read

Markets Gain as Confidence Returns

This is now the sixth Industry Watch, covering 18 months, where COVID-19 has been the main factor influencing market values and trends, both directly and indirectly.

Companies COVID-19

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

3 min read

Bank of England Annual Report – Banknotes Increase, Counterfeits Fall

The week before the issue of the new £50, the Bank of England published its annual report for 2020/21, which showed an increase in notes in circulation of £10.3 billion (14%). It credited this increase to the launch of the new polymer £20 note in February 2020 and the pandemic. These figures are quite a contrast to the Reserve Bank of India’s annual report, also issued recently, which saw a 7.2% increase.

Central Banks Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

2 min read

People in the News

The Mexican President has nominated his finance minister and economist Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez as the next Governor of the Bank of Mexico, to replace the incumbent, Alejandro Díaz de León, whose mandate is not being renewed.

Central Banks Companies News

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

3 min read

A Busy Year for the RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has published its 2020/21 Annual Report which saw a small rise in demand for banknotes and the RBI continuing with its programme of developing how it does its business.

Central Banks Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

4 min read

When is a Counterfeit not a Counterfeit? We Need to Know!

Counterfeiting is a sensitive subject. Without counterfeiters most of us would not have a job, but central banks have a difficult line to walk. They need the public to check their banknotes, but equally they need the public to trust and have confidence in their currency.

Comment Counterfeiting

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

5 min read

News in Brief

The ATM Security Association (ASA) has launched a new worldwide Crisis and Crime Management Intelligence System (CCMIS).

Central Banks Companies News

Astrid Mitchell

28 June 2021

3 min read

Glory – a Mixed Picture Across Global Markets

Glory’s annual results, announced last month, showed a 3% drop in sales to ¥217 billion, and a 20% drop in operating income to ¥14 billion.

Companies COVID-19

Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2021

5 min read

Qatar’s New Banknotes – Art, Progress and Technology Brought Together

The Qatar Central Bank formally launched its 5th Series of banknotes on Qatar National Day, 18 December 2020, replacing the 4th Series that was issued in 2003. The Qatar Central Bank wished to modernise the banknotes and to incorporate the latest security features. The new series, designed by De La Rue in close co-operation with the Qatar Central Bank, has achieved this whilst maintaining a thematic link to previous designs.

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2021

2 min read

A New Star is Born

Louisenthal has added a new security thread to its portfolio based on its RollingStar® technology, which combines two security technologies – ColourShift for colour changes and micro-mirrors for dynamic effects arranged according to highly complex algorithms. For the new thread, RollingStar® i+, the two technologies have, through intensive research and in conjunction with magnetics for machine-read, been elevated to a new level.

Banknotes Substrates, Features

Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2021

6 min read

Counterfeiters Turn their Attention to Polymer

It was only a matter of time! One of the claimed benefits of polymer is that it is more resistant to counterfeiting and hence more secure, and the figures bear that out.

Banknotes Counterfeiting

Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2021

3 min read

A Year of Pivot for RCM, as Bullion Sales Boom, But Coins Decline

The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has announced its financial results for 2020. Overall, sales were boosted by 74% due to booming demand for gold bullion products. However, the increased revenue was matched by increased costs, so did not result in a corresponding increase in profit. Instead, profits were lower by 35% due to lower revenues from other parts of the business, among them circulating coins.

Coins COVID-19 Studies, Reports

Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2021

3 min read

Smart Solutions for Banknote Destruction from CPS and Hunkeler

Whilst the focus on cash is generally concentrated on substrates and features, production and circulation, the end of life is also key as regards the secure, clean and efficient disposal of both waste and notes no longer fit for circulation.

Banknotes Companies Technology

Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2021

2 min read

HUMANIA Celebrates 1st Banknote Design Submissions

In December 2020, the global cash community joined forces in an initiative called HUMANIA to support people who have been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19