Overview

• Germany’s Bundesbank recorded 36,610 counterfeit banknotes in the first half of 2025, an 8% increase from the second half of 2024.
• Fifty-euro notes made up 51% of all detected fakes as counterfeiters concentrated on the most commonly used denomination.
• Counterfeit coins rose by 12% to 68,400 pieces, with two-euro coins accounting for 91% of the total.
• Border police intercepted more than 5,500 fake 200-euro notes from travelers who claimed they were intended for a Serbian wedding ritual.
• Despite higher volumes, estimated financial losses grew only 1.6% to €2.13 million due to a shift toward lower-value counterfeits.