Banknotes
Riksbank unveils new series of notes and coins
Majority of Sweden’s banknotes and coins to be updated by the end of 2016; new 20 krona note to be introduced and two krona coin to re-enter circulation
Pakistan targets automated cash management in five years
State Bank of Pakistan aims to automate cash management and urges commercial banks to follow suit; deputy governor says it will help ensure only clean and genuine notes circulate
Cambodia’s central bank defends depiction of Buddha on banknotes
National Bank of Cambodia released a new 100 riel banknote last week, depicting Buddha, which local media reports suggest has come in for criticism from some stakeholders
Cuban central bank to issue three new large-value banknotes
Central bank plans to issue banknotes worth 200, 500 and 1,000 domestic pesos; the largest note currently in circulation is worth 100 pesos
Coins and notes with same value to circulate in Angola
Angola’s central bank will issue two new coins in November, of 50 and 100 kwanzas, which will circulate with equal denomination banknotes
No end in sight for cash payments, Canadian research finds
Despite its costs, cash remains a popular option among Canadians, with younger consumers and merchants showing the highest demand for cash
Canadians want more women on banknotes, poll shows
Bank of Canada’s banknotes should reflect more gender equality and a better celebration of women, according to the Canadians who participated in an online survey by the central bank
New Zealand’s banknotes get first upgrade since 1999
Reserve Bank unveils a ‘brighter, more modern look’ for its banknotes, and a host of new security features; net cost will be NZ$40 million over five years
Central Bank of Iraq updates 5,000 and 25,000 dinar banknotes
The central bank says the new banknotes will coexist with their predecessors; most notable change sees addition of transparent window on 25,000 note
National Bank of Denmark to outsource production of banknotes and coins
The National Bank of Denmark will outsource all of its printing and minting services to an external supplier in 2016, with an estimated saving of $17 million by 2020
Bank of Canada will consult public on future banknote designs
Bank of Canada launches a nationwide consultation on banknote design principles, after a report concluding that Canadians should have increased participation in the process
National Bank of Belgium to close half its remaining branches
Belgian central bank reveals plans to close its branches in Mons and Hasselt in 2016, which are predominantly involved in processing cash
Portuguese central banker warns new €10 banknote may not be accepted by all vending machines
Bank of Portugal board member says he cannot guarantee the note will be accepted by all machines, as owners are responsible for making necessary software changes
‘Flower power’ drives new Dominican Republic banknote series
The Dominican Republic is issuing upgraded banknotes to include the country’s new national flower; Israel and eurozone also introducing new notes in the market
De La Rue ‘preferred bidder' for next Bank of England printing deal
UK printer expected to sign contract with central bank next month and start producing new notes in April; BoE hired Innovia Security to supply polymer substrate in March
Uzbek central bank launches mobile app to meet ‘growing needs’ of online audience
Users can view specimens of banknotes and coins and check the latest exchange rates; central bank expects it to be ‘popular’ among 3,000 people who visit website each day
Reserve Bank of India to trial ‘plastic banknotes’
Annual report details plans to run a ‘field trial’ of plastic banknotes by 2015, in addition to several other initiatives aimed at improving the central bank’s cash management
Euro banknote counterfeiting rises 4.4% year-on-year
‘Europa’ series will not address forgery problem until 2015; Eurosystem central banks urge consumers to ‘look, feel and tilt’ notes to look out for counterfeits
UAE central bank to put Braille on banknotes
Emirati authority joins Hong Kong in using feature rejected by the Bank of England and Bank of Canada, on the basis that not all blind people read Braille
New Zealand mulls coloured coins
Geoff Bascand reveals details about the RBNZ’s forthcoming banknote series; suggests new technologies could ‘supplant cash’ in years to come
Central banks test ‘dry ice' banknote cleaning technology
Banks to test whether ‘supercritical' CO2 can rid notes of filth without damaging security features; central banks spend $10 billion to replace 150 billion banknotes each year
Central Bank of Kuwait puts own building on new banknote
Banknote series unveiled yesterday will come into circulation on June 29; new features include raised print to help blind people tell which note they are holding
A new wave for polymer banknotes
Does the Bank of England’s move to introduce substrate banknotes represent a ‘tipping point’ for polymer currency? By Tristan Carlyle.
Iceland prepares to phase out smallest banknote
Central Bank of Iceland hints at replacing the 500 krónur banknote with a coin, and scrapping the three lowest value coins altogether; introduced new 10,000 krónur note last year