Some 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were removed from circulation in 2025, down 20% on the previous year.
The likelihood of receiving a fake note remained low because counterfeits accounted for a very small share of the genuine euro banknotes in circulation, the European Central Bank (ECB) reported on Friday.
An average of 14 counterfeit notes were detected per million genuine euro banknotes in circulation in 2025, one of the lowest levels since the euro was introduced.
The €20 and €50 notes were the most commonly counterfeited denominations, together making up about 80% of all fakes withdrawn.
Most counterfeits were found within the euro area, with 96.8% detected in countries that use the single currency, while 2.2% were found in non-euro area EU member states and 1.0% in other parts of the world.
How to check a euro banknote
The public does not need to be concerned but should remain vigilant, the ECB said, adding that most counterfeit notes are easy to detect because they have no security features or only poor imitations.
People can check banknotes using the “feel, look and tilt” method — a basic check of texture, visible features and details that change when the note is tilted — described on the ECB’s website and those of euro area national central banks.
Anyone who receives a suspicious banknote should compare it with one they know is genuine and, if concerns remain, contact the police or their national central bank or bank, depending on national practice, the ECB added.
