CBK Wins Prestigious International Award After Unveiling New Notes

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has been awarded the Best New Series of banknotes at the High Security Printing – Europe, Middle East, and Africa (HSP-EMEA) Conference.

According to the apex bank, the award recognized CBK’s release of a new banknote series in August 2024. The citation noted the enhanced security features, stating, “The full series comprises Ksh 1,000, 500, 200, 100, and 50 banknotes, with the same design as the notes they replace but with enhanced security in the form of Louisenthal’s Rolling Star® i+ thread on each of the denominations.”

The three higher denominations, Ksh 1,000, 500, and 200, utilize the ZigZag dynamic movement effect, while the two lower denominations, Ksh 100 and 50, use the Crystal effect.

Additionally, the banknotes feature iridescent bands with UV for each denomination, while dual-color fluorescence is maintained as a secondary-level security element against counterfeiting.

CBK Wins Prestigious International Award

CBK Governor, Dr. Kamau Thugge, said, “The award puts the Kenyan series of banknotes at the forefront of being appealing, secure, and of world-class status.”

The banknotes also utilize the latest technology to mitigate counterfeiting, providing citizens with assurance regarding the security of their currency.

The award event was held on February 4, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland, bringing together security document experts focused on government-specified and issued documents.

These included currency, fiduciary documents, excise stamps, ID cards, e-passports, visas, vehicle documents, and licenses.

Also Read: CBK Lowers Interest Rates on Loans Again, Puts Exploitative Banks on Notice

Features of the New Banknotes

CBK announced the release of the new series in August 2024, starting with the KES 1,000 note, followed by the KES 500, 200, 100, and 50 banknotes.

The new series has been circulating alongside the 2019 series of banknotes.

“All banknotes currently in circulation remain legal tender and will circulate alongside the released banknotes,” CBK said.

“Release of the banknotes will commence with KES 1,000, while other denominations will progressively follow in the coming months.”

Changes made to the banknotes include new signatures for the Governor and Member, the year of print specified as 2024, and an updated security thread.

The banknotes now bear the signatures of the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, Dr. Kamau Thugge, and the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury, Dr. Chris Kiptoo.

Additionally, the year of print is now 2024. The notes also feature a new security thread with color-changing effects, unique to each denomination.

CBK mentioned that the rest of the features remain the same as those of the series issued in 2019.

Also Read: M-Oriental Bank Reduces Interest Rates on Loans After CBK Warning  

How to Identify Fake Notes

The bank advised that you could run your fingers over the note to feel the words “KENYA,” the value of the note, and also feel the edge. CBK also mentioned that you can hold the note up to the light or tilt it at an angle to see other features.

“Hold up to the light and from both sides, you will see: The watermark shows a perfect lion’s head, the text CBK, and the value of the banknote, and the security thread appears as a continuous line,” CBK said.

“If you tilt at an angle, you will see: The security thread changes color when tilted, and the golden band shows the value of the banknote. It is visible under ultraviolet (UV) light.”

Follow our WhatsApp Channel and join our WhatsApp Group for real-time news updates