Counterfeit euro banknotes in Malta drop by nearly 30% in 2025

The number of counterfeit banknotes withdrawn from circulation declined during 2025. A total of 1,097 counterfeit banknotes were presented at the Central Bank of Malta during the year, representing a considerable decrease of 29.9% when compared to 2024.

The proportion of counterfeit euro banknotes remains insignificant when compared to the 30.22 million genuine euro banknotes in circulation in Malta in 2025.

Among the 1,097 counterfeit euro banknotes seized in Malta during 2025, the middle denominations continued to be the most counterfeited. Nevertheless, the €20 denomination lost in importance, while the share of the €50 denomination increased. Together, these two denominations accounted for 87.5% of all seized counterfeits. The share of the lower denominations (€5 and €10) also decreased, while the percentage of the highest denominations remained very low.

The table below provides a percentage breakdown by denomination of the total number of counterfeits withdrawn from circulation in Malta during 2025, compared with the distribution by denomination across the entire euro area. It must be noted that while the €20 denomination predominates in Malta, the €50 is the most frequently detected counterfeit banknote in the euro area.

Notwithstanding the low figures of counterfeits reported locally, the Central Bank of Malta continues to advise the public to remain alert with regards to banknotes received in cash transactions. Most counterfeits are easy to detect as they have no security features, or only poor imitations of such features.