Germany Sees Steep Decline in Counterfeit Currency Removals
The downward trend in counterfeit currency figures in Germany continued in the first half of this year. According to data from the Bundesbank, approximately 30,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were removed from circulation during this period, representing an 18% decrease compared to the same time last year.
The number of counterfeit bills taken out of circulation fell by 18 percent in the first half of the year. The total number of counterfeits for the first half of 2025 was 36,610, and it was 31,353 for the second half of last year. For the full year 2025, the number of counterfeit bills in Germany fell for the first time after three years of increases.
Bundesbank Executive Board member Lutz Lienenkämper noted that 'there is very little counterfeit money in Germany.' Based on the latest figures, there are seven counterfeit banknotes per 10,000 residents per year. However, despite this decline, criminals continue to successfully pass counterfeit bills into circulation.
Losses due to counterfeiting totaled 1.75 million euros in the first half of the year. There has been a recent increase in the number of counterfeit 100-euro bills: 5,043 were discovered during the first six months of this year, a 61% rise compared to the previous period.