The number of counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn from circulation in the Netherlands fell sharply in 2025, marking a 26 percent decline from the previous year. Dutch authorities removed 17,900 fake euro notes last year, compared with 24,100 in 2024. The 50 euro note was the most frequently counterfeited denomination, the De Nederlandsche Bank reports.
The decrease continues a decade-long trend. Experts say the drop in counterfeit notes is linked to declining cash use, retailers carefully checking bills for authenticity, and stronger law enforcement efforts targeting counterfeiting.
Withdrawals of counterfeit 100 and 200 euro notes also declined in 2025. Previous spikes in 2022 and 2024 were mostly driven by isolated cases of low-quality counterfeit bills.
Worldwide, authorities detected 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes in 2025, a 20 percent decrease from 2024. With roughly 31 billion genuine euro notes in circulation, the chances of receiving a fake remain low. Officials continue to urge careful checkups to avoid financial losses.
Euro notes can be verified by examining security features such as watermarks and holograms. Retailers also use detection devices to spot counterfeit bills.
