Brussels – “Only” 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in 2025, one of the “lowest figures ever” in the fight against counterfeit money, leading the European Central Bank to welcome the result as a major step forward. The ECB itself has released information on the fight against counterfeit euros, stating with some satisfaction that “the public does not need to be concerned about counterfeiting but should remain vigilant.”
The probability of receiving a counterfeit banknote “is low,” the ECB reassures, as the number of counterfeit banknotes is “very small” in proportion to the genuine euro banknotes in circulation. In 2025, 14 counterfeit banknotes per million genuine banknotes in circulation were detected, which justifies the triumphant mood in Frankfurt.
This is also because the number of counterfeit banknotes identified and withdrawn during 2025 decreased by approximately 20 per cent compared to 2024, marking a reversal of a trend that had seen a continuous increase in the number of unofficial banknotes over the previous three years. Comparing the figures, it is true that the number of counterfeits removed from everyday buying and selling activities is among the lowest since the EU institution began releasing annual data.
As in previous years, also in 2025, the 20 and 50 banknotes are the most counterfeited, accounting for around 80 per cent of all counterfeit notes withdrawn (27 per cent and 53.3 per cent, respectively). These are followed by 100 banknotes (7.9 per cent of the counterfeits withdrawn) and, to a lesser extent, 10 euros notes (6.4 per cent).
