Most Counterfeited Banknotes in Romania Identified; Police Seize Hundreds of Fakes

In 2025, Romanian authorities seized a significant number of counterfeit banknotes, with police capturing 709 fake notes before they could be circulated. An additional 647 counterfeit bills were detected after entering circulation, according to the National Bank of Romania's (BNR) 2025 report.

The report indicates a notable decrease in counterfeit Romanian currency, with a total of 1,356 fake notes examined by the BNR in 2025. This represents a 33.79% reduction compared to the figures from 2024. Notably, the 20 lei, 5 lei, and 1 leu denominations had no reported counterfeits.

The 100 lei banknote emerged as the most targeted denomination for counterfeiting, with 1,163 fake notes identified. Of these, 708 were seized by police prior to circulation. The 10 lei banknote followed, with 173 counterfeits, and the 200 lei banknote had 11 instances of counterfeiting.

The overall rate of counterfeiting also saw a decline. The number of counterfeit notes per million genuine notes in circulation was 0.63 in 2025, down from 0.97 in 2024. This suggests an improvement in the security and integrity of Romanian currency in circulation.