Damage from counterfeit money falls sharply in Germany
The Deutsche Bundesbank identified nearly 68,000 fake euro banknotes in German payment transactions in 2025. The resulting damage decreased by 11 percent to 4 million euros, down from 4.5 million euros in the previous year.
Fewer high-value fakes reduce overall damage
In 2025, the Deutsche Bundesbank detected nearly 68,000 counterfeit euro banknotes in German payment transactions, marking a 6.1 percent decrease from the previous year.
The financial damage caused by these fakes amounted to 4 million euros, an 11 percent reduction compared to 4.5 million euros in 2024.
This significant drop in the total damage is primarily due to a noticeable decline in counterfeit 100- and 200-euro banknotes.
Burkhard Balz, Bundesbank Executive Board member responsible for cash, stated that "perpetrators have mainly focused on simple fakes with medium denominations.
" Overall, the volume of counterfeit money remains low, with approximately eight fake banknotes per 10,000 inhabitants in 2025.
Simple fakes target 50-euro notes
In 2025, 50-euro notes became the most frequently faked denomination, making up 50 percent of all detected counterfeits.
Many were easily identifiable, often marked 'MovieMoney' or 'Prop copy' and lacking security features.
This represents a new trend where simple counterfeits increasingly target 50-euro notes, a shift from previous years.
The Bundesbank also removed 128,100 fake coins, a 9.3 percent decrease from 2024, with 2-euro coins comprising 91 percent of the total.