By integrating numerous levels of these security features, central banks make counterfeiting very difficult and expensive, lowering the likelihood of phony currencies circulation.
- Business Insider Africa presents the list of the hardest currencies to counterfeit in the world.
- This list is courtesy of BestBrokers.
- 100 Swiss Francs ranks number 1 on the list.
The war against counterfeiting is continuing, necessitating constant innovation in security features.
Fortunately, there are central banks across the globe that continue to stay ahead of the curve, via the security features they outfit their currencies with.
One of the first lines of protection against counterfeiting is the substance on which cash is printed. Traditional banknotes are produced from a special combination of cotton and linen fibers, distinguishing them from conventional paper.
There are also high-end options like holographic patches or strips.
These components include dynamic pictures that change or appear to move as the note is tilted. Some modern banknotes also include 3D security ribbons that display different pictures from various perspectives.
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Bestbrokers, a platform that assists traders in making well-informed decisions when choosing a trading platform, noted that currency counterfeiting which averages millions of bills every year, has given more urgency to central banks to enhance their banknotes with a variety of innovative security measures.
From holograms and concealed pictures to microprints and color-shifting inks, these aspects are intended to deter even the most expert fraudsters. However, not all currencies have equal protection.
To establish which currencies are particularly safe and which are most prone to counterfeiting, the currency experts at BestBrokers examined the 39 most traded currencies by value in 2022.
They found the highest-circulating banknotes in each country for 2023 and ranked them according to the amount of security measures.
They also determined how many counterfeit notes exist per million genuine ones in each country.
With that said, here are the most secured banknotes in the world, as per the BestBrokers report.
Top 10 hardest currencies to counterfeit in the world
| Rank | Currency | Banknote denomination | Number of security features | Year issued in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Swiss Franc | 100 | 2019 | 20 |
| 2. | Indonesian Rupiah | 50,000 | 2022 | 17 |
| 3. | Euro | 50 | 2017 | 16 |
| 4. | Australian Dollar | 50 | 2018 | 16 |
| 5. | Polish Zloty | 200 | 2022 | 15 |
| 6. | Pound Sterling | 20 | 2020 | 15 |
| 7. | Romanian Leu | 50 | 2005 | 15 |
| 8. | Mexican Peso | 500 | 2018 | 14 |
| 9. | Thai Baht | 20 | 2022 | 14 |
| 10. | Japanese Yen | 10,000 | 2024 | 13 |
