SMI is the acknowledged world leader in the provision of independent technical & commercial expertise to the currency industry. Founded in 1994, SMI consultants each have many years’ experience working in the currency industry, and consequently have extensive knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the banknote and coin markets, offering consultancy services on a range of issues related to the security, manufacture, issue, circulation and management of physical cash in the economy.

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Dell to accept Bitcoin payments

Dell, the third largest PC seller in the world with an annual revenue of around $57 billion, has announced that it will accept Bitcoin payments. Users will now be able to pay for purchases made online from Dell.com, through a partnership with Bitcoin exchange company, Coinbase. Dell’s website advises: “Why is Dell accepting bitcoin? Bitcoin…

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ECB releases biannual counterfeit banknote info

The European Central Bank (ECB) has released its half year statistics on counterfeit banknotes, showing a reduction compared to the second half of 2013. In total, 331,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation during the first half of 2014. This equates to around 0.002% of banknotes in circulation today (16.4 billion notes as at June 30, 2014).…

New Zealand to issue new banknotes in 2015

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has advised it will introduce new banknotes next year which will be modernised with advanced security features. The banknotes will continue to have a polymer substrate, will remain the same size and will continue to use the same denominations. The changes will be seen in the banknote designs, but they will still use…

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Malawi to issue banknotes with blind recognition features

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has advised that it will release new Malawi Kwacha banknotes which include features designed for people with visual impairments. The Bank advised they would start to issue the new banknotes from August this year. The change comes following requests from the Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB) and the Federation…

Russia to issue Crimea banknote

The Central Bank of Russia has announced that it plans to issue a banknote dedicated to Crimea by the end of 2014. This was announced during a banking conference held in St Petersburg on Wednesday 2 July 2014 “We plan to issue a banknote dedicated to Crimea, but it will be a banknote of the…

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Singapore to stop issuing $10,000 banknote

It was announced yesterday by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) that they will stop issuing $10,000 banknotes (£4,694) from 1st October 2014 in a bid to increase anti-money laundering controls. The comments were made yesterday during a Keynote Address at the ABS Financial Crime Seminar by Mr Ong Chong Tee, Deputy Managing Director (Financial…

Kuwait issues sixth banknote series

The sixth issue of the new Kuwaiti currency has today been released into circulation. In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the Central Bank of Kuwait had prepared for the release stating “All denominations of the new banknotes are to be available for the general public through all branches of banks operating in the State…

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Contactless payments reach Glastonbury festival

Mobile network operator EE has developed a Glastonbury festival app which will include their “Cash on Tap” contactless payment service. The telecommunications company has paired with Glastonbury organisers to produce the official Festival app which will also provide users with music line-ups, interactive maps and real-time festival updates. Using cash at festivals such as Glastonbury, which drew crowds of 250,000…