BASEL, Switzerland – The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has received international recognition for its newly released banknotes, winning the “Best New Series” award at the High Security Printing – Europe, Middle East and Africa (HSP-EMEA) Conference 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.
The award acknowledges the updated series of the Kenyan shilling (KES) introduced in August 2024.
The CBK revamped its currency by partnering with German security printing firm Giesecke+Devrient after discontinuing its long-standing collaboration with De La Rue.
CBK Governor Kamau Thugge hailed the recognition as a testament to the bank’s commitment to ensuring the security and integrity of Kenya’s currency.
“This award places Kenya’s banknotes at the forefront in terms of appeal, security, and world-class status. By leveraging cutting-edge anti-counterfeiting measures, we are ensuring Kenyans can trust the integrity of their currency,” Thugge said.
Press Release – CBK Wins Global Banknote Award
The new series consists of Ksh1,000, Ksh500, Ksh200, Ksh100, and Ksh50 denominations, retaining the familiar design of their predecessors but with enhanced security features.
Among the advanced elements is Louisenthal’s Rolling Star® i+ thread, included in all denominations to deter counterfeiting.
The higher-value Ksh1,000, Ksh500, and Ksh200 notes feature a ZigZag dynamic movement effect, while the Ksh100 and Ksh50 notes incorporate a crystal effect.
Additionally, the banknotes have iridescent bands with UV elements and dual-colour fluorescence as secondary security measures.
These enhancements align with global best practices in currency protection and durability.
The HSP-EMEA Conference, held on February 4, 2025, brought together leading figures in security document production, focusing on innovations in banknotes, passports, visas, and government-issued identification technologies.
CBK’s latest banknotes build on improvements first introduced in 2014, maintaining features such as embossed bars for tactile identification, a watermark of a lion’s head, and the text ‘CBK’ alongside the note’s value.
