Security Features for Hong Kong Bank Notes

The Bank Notes Issue Advisory Committee (BNIAC) today (Thursday 20 July) held a meeting to discuss, among other issues, the question of security features on Hong Kong bank notes. The BNIAC noted that the incidence of reports of counterfeit notes had increased in recent months. While observing that the dimensions of the problem were not large by international standards, the Committee agreed that the matter was a serious one, and advised that additional measures were necessary to address it.

The BNIAC has identified new security features that will, in time, be incorporated when new bank notes are printed. After the necessary technical preparations have been put in place, the new features could, if required, be introduced in advance of the more comprehensive review of bank note design, which is currently in progress.

"For obvious reasons we cannot give details of the new security features identified by the BNIAC," an HKMA spokesperson said. "A publicity campaign on the changes will be launched, as necessary, at the appropriate time. But any advance information would simply play into the hands of criminals and would not be in the public interest," the spokesperson added.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Thomas Chan, Senior Manager (Press), at 2878 1480 or
Caitlin Wong, Manager (Press), at 2878 1687

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
20 July 2000