The International Association for Currency Affairs (IACA) has announced that the nomination period for the 2026 Excellence in Currency Awards is now open.

Cash processing plays a crucial role in Pakistan’s financial system, ensuring liquidity, security, and public confidence in an economy where physical currency remains widely used. Despite the growing adoption of digital financial services and a determined push by the government to reduce dependency on cash, it continues to dominate daily transactions, particularly in the informal sector (which generates over 40% of GDP).

In last month’s Currency News™, we reported on a new programme for financial inclusion called MoneyBox. In this interview, we provide more detail on this far-sighted and far-reaching initiative.

SICPA leveraged its security ink and traceability expertise to launch BullionProtect® in 2020, designed to prevent counterfeit gold bars being mistaken for genuine ones. Jointly developed with refiner and coating specialist Metalor Technologies, in line with LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) guidance, the integrated solution comprises a security image applied directly to the bar and bespoke validation devices.

Dr Andrzej Nowak, Head of Open Innovation at SICPA, presented at the Future of Cash conference in Warsaw in November about what a radical banknote of the future could look like.

Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corporation (KOMSCO) has released two more currency-themed goods made from recycled currency by-products, following the launch of the Money Pen, Money Keyring, and Money Envelope earlier this year.

The Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) is preparing to launch a completely new series of Fijian dollar (FJD, $) banknotes in a major refresh that reflects both technical advances and an updated national vision. The formal unveiling will take place on 2 December in the capital, Suva, by the President of Fiji, HE Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, and the new notes are scheduled to enter circulation from 2 January 2026.

Life used to be so simple. You could pay with cash, with a cheque or with a wire transfer. Today the number of payment options is big, and getting bigger, as ‘bank money’ fragments into a myriad of different products and payment rails. In addition, add in crypto currency, stablecoins and CBDCs. Where will it all end?

Hueck Folien – specialists in applied security features and threads for banknotes – has successfully commissioned a new high-vacuum vapour deposition facility at its headquarters in Baumgartenberg, Austria. The €8.6 million investment, announced in September 2024, includes both a new metallisation system and associated infrastructure upgrades, and marks a major advance in the company’s production of high-performance coatings for the security sector.

The Coin Conference 2026 will take centre stage next year as a key part of the industry’s event calendar. The event, organised by the publishers of Currency News, brings together experts to tackle critical challenges facing coin production and circulation in the context of a rapidly-evolving payments eco-system.

Giesecke+Devrient is continuing to invest in its cash processing solutions and, at its Currency Technology Symposium this summer, presented the latest evolution of the well-known high-speed system – the BPS® Mevo® series – and the complementary solution for smaller cash centres – the all-new BPS® C7.

Although the 2026 Banknote Conference (11-14 May 2026) is still nearly six months out, Currency Research has announced the first tranche of speakers who’ll be appearing in Washington DC.

After 232 years of continuous production, the US penny (or one cent coin) has finally ceased to roll off the presses for circulation. The US Mint hosted a ceremonial strike event at its Philadelphia facility in mid-November, with United States Treasurer Brandon Beach striking the final circulating penny coin.

The Central Bank of Bolivia has completed its new ‘B’ series of banknotes with the issue of 10, 20 and 50 boliviano notes. The new 100 and 200 bolivianos were issued in June.

The Czech National Bank is to issue a commemorative 5,000 koruna banknote next March to mark the centenary of the central bank, and the 30th anniversary of the Czech koruna.

Dr Andrzej Nowak, Head of Open Innovation at SICPA, presented at the Future of Cash conference in Warsaw in November about what a radical banknote of the future could look like.

Hueck Folien has successfully commissioned a new high-vacuum vapour deposition facility at its headquarters in Baumgartenberg, Austria. The €8.6 million investment, announced in September 2024, includes both a new metallisation system and associated infrastructure upgrades, and marks a major advance in the company’s production of high-performance coatings for the security sector.

Jörg Eigendorf, Chief Sustainability Officer at Deutsche Bank recently posted on LinkedIn about monetising the protection of the rainforests. Coincidently, almost to the day, Biobanknote wrote to us about a project to reforest the Amazon.

Authentix, a pioneer in nano-optic security technologies, has signed a Cooperation and License Agreement with LEONHARD KURZ, one of the world’s largest advanced high security feature manufacturing companies, uniting the former’s breakthrough innovation with the latter’s world-class production capacity.

American Eagle, a US clothes manufacturer, hired the actress Sydney Sweeney for their autumn 2025 denim campaign. The campaign led to an increase in sales, attracting nearly a million new customers between July and September. The two products in the adverts, named after Sweeney, sold out – the denim jacket in a day and the jeans in a week.