GERMANY ,— To ensure that counterfeit banknotes can be detected not only by central banks but also by laypeople, the developed a of an app for smartphones. The app uses image processing and pattern recognition to identify whether banknotes are questionable. The process has been scaled up through collaboration so that it can be used on a wide range of smartphones. ValiCash™ is firmly integrated into the portfolio of Koenig & Bauer, the only supplier able to provide to customers a complete solution from the design of banknotes to printing presses to quality control and authentication solutions. In 2021, the number of counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn from circulation was at a historically low level. Among other things, this is due to the fact that banknotes are becoming increasingly counterfeit-proof.