Google Wallet Debit Card Launched

Following on from the launch of Google Wallet in 2011, Google is now introducing a prepaid debit card which will allow customers to purchase goods at stores and withdraw cash from ATMs. Google Wallet is a smartphone app which allows users to make online payments and transfer funds to other users. It is a digital…

guyana 5000 banknote

Bank of Guyana Unveils $5,000 Banknote

On November 15th, 2013, the Bank of Guyana unveiled the new £5,000 banknote. This is an additional denomination to the current series existing of the £20, £100, £500 amd £1,000. It is due to go into circulation on December 9th, 2013. The face of the banknote displays a map of the country with its natural resources,…

Innovia Films in Acquisition Talks

It has recently been announced that Pamplona Capital Management has entered exclusive talks to acquire Innovia Films. Innovia Films, a global manufacturer of speciality products for the packaging and security markets – Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) and Cellulose based films – currently supplies polymer to be used as a banknote substrate to around 20 Central…

Canada 10 banknote

Canada issues $5 and $10 polymer banknotes

The Bank of Canada has now completed the issue of its first polymer banknote series. The release of the new $5 and $10 polymer banknotes follow the gradual release of the previous $100, $50 and $20 denominations. Like the previous versions, the Bank of Canada state that the main motivation for the change to polymer…

US 100 banknote

New US $100 dollar bill issued

On the 8th October 2013, the US Federal Reserve issued the latest version of the $100 dollar banknote. The note contains several new security features, including Motion™ thread and a colour changing/ optically variable ink. Other features include: Watermark of Benjamin Franklin Embedded security thread which glows pink under Ultraviolet (UV) light Colour shifting “100”…

Mauritius 50

Bank of Mauritius Launches Polymer Banknotes

On the 22nd August 2013 the Bank of Mauritius (BOM) launched three new polymer banknotes. The RS25, RS50 and RS500 all feature similar designs to their previous paper versions, but include a variety of new polymer specific security features: Transparent window, showing an image of a dodo Shadow image (the polymer note equivalent of a…

Fiji 5 banknote

Fiji Issues First Polymer Banknote

The Reserve Bank of Fiji has announced the issue of the new $5 banknote into circulation from the 2nd April 2013. It is the first banknote of the new “Flora and Fauna” design series which is to be released. As the old $2 banknote is now coined, it is also the lowest denomination banknote. Most…

Thai baht 20

Bank of Thailand introduces new 20-Baht banknote

On the 1st April 2013 the Bank of Thailand released the new Series 16 20-Baht banknote into circulation. It replaces its previous version which has been in circulation since 2003. In a press release issued by the Bank of Thailand, Mrs. Tongurai Limpiti (Deputy Governor) stated that the new design incorporates “new advanced counterfeit deterrent…

RBA sells its stake in Securency to Innovia Films

It has today been announced that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has signed an agreement with UK based company Innovia Films to sell its 50% share in Securency International Pty Ltd. Innovia, who supplies Securency International with a key film from which they make Guardian® polymer banknote substrate, joined the RBA in a 50/50…