Guide to Detecting Counterfeit Chinese Yuan (CNY) Notes

How to Identify Counterfeit CNY (¥) Currency Notes

Planning a trip to China? While card payments and mobile wallets dominate in Chinese cities, tourists still find themselves dealing with cash, especially when visiting local markets, paying for taxis, etc. And that’s where one overlooked risk pops up: counterfeit currency. Even in a country with highly advanced security features, fake notes can circulate, particularly targeting unsuspecting foreigners. This guide will help you understand what a genuine Chinese Yuan (CNY) note should look and feel like, so you never fall for a fake one.

Key Security Features of the Chinese Yuan Bank Notes

Raised (Intaglio) Printing:

Intaglio printing is present on Mao’s portrait and the denomination numeral. Certain inscriptions are also slightly raised and rough to the touch.

Colour‑Shifting Ink:

The main denomination numeral (e.g., “50”, “100”) changes colour when you tilt the note: generally shifting from green to blue or from gold to green, depending on the denomination.

Watermark:

Each note carries a watermark showing Mao Zedong’s portrait and the denomination, visible when held up to the light.

Security Thread:

¥10 and higher denominations include an embedded metallic or color-shifting thread that runs vertically through the paper and often contains microtext.

See‑Through Register:

Matched patterns on the front and back of each note align perfectly when held up to light, forming a complete numeral of the note’s denomination (e.g., “20”, “100”).

UV‑Reactive Features:

Under ultraviolet light, you’ll see fluorescent fibers, a glowing denomination, and serial numbers that light up.

Holographic or Iridescent Stripe:

The latest ¥100 notes include an iridescent or holographic stripe or patch, which shimmers and subtly changes appearance as you tilt the note.

Latent Images:

Some higher denominations (like ¥100) include images or numerals that appear only when viewed at a shallow angle under normal light.

Microprinting:

Tiny, finely printed text “RMB”, or the denomination, is embedded subtly around the portrait or other areas and is visible only under magnification.

A Detailed Guide to Identifying Counterfeit CNY Currency by Denomination

The Chinese Yuan is issued in several banknote denominations that are currently in active circulation. These include the ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, and ¥100 notes, all featuring a portrait of Mao Zedong on the front. The ¥1 note is green, ¥5 is purple, ¥10 is blue, ¥20 is light brown, ¥50 is green, and ¥100 is red.

Feature	¥1	¥5	¥10	¥20	¥50	¥100
Raised Printing	Raised print on Mao’s portrait, numeral, and bank name	Raised print on Mao’s portrait, numeral, and bank name	Raised print on Mao’s portrait, numeral, and bank name	Raised print on Mao’s portrait, numeral, and bank name	Raised print on Mao’s portrait, numeral, and bank name	Raised print on Mao’s portrait, numeral, and bank name
Colour-Shifting Ink	Not present	“5” shifts gold to green (Only in newer versions)	“10” shifts green to blue	“20” shifts gold to green	“50” shifts green to blue	“100” shifts gold to green
Watermark	Mao and “1” watermark	Mao and “5” watermark	Mao and “10” watermark	Mao and “20” watermark	Mao and “50” watermark	Mao and “100” watermark
Security Thread	Not present	Not included	Thin metallic thread embedded	Visible thread with microtext	Visible thread with symbols	Visible thread with colour shift and microtext
See-Through Register	“1” forms when held to light	“5” forms when held to light	“10” forms when held to light	“20” forms when held to light	“50” forms when held to light	“100” forms when held to light
UV Features	Very faint fibers glow	Minimal UV effect	Faint dots or fibers glow	Low fluorescence	Fluorescent fibers and serials	Bright glowing “100”, serials, fibers
Iridescent Stripe	Not included	Not included	Not included	Not included	Visible in newer notes	Wide shimmering ribbon
Latent Image	Not present	Not present	Seen in older prints	Seen in older prints	Clearly seen “50” at an angle	Clearly seen “100” at an angle
Microprinting	Small “RMB” or Chinese text	Small “RMB” or Chinese text	Small “RMB” or Chinese text	Small “RMB” or Chinese text	Sharp text like “RMB”, “50”, “PBOC”	Sharp text like “RMB”, “100”, “PBOC”

1. ¥1 Yuan Note

Raised (Intaglio) Printing: The portrait of Mao Zedong, the large numeral “1”, and the Chinese characters for “People’s Bank of China” are printed with raised ink.
Colour-Shifting Ink: The ¥1 note does not include colour-shifting ink. The “1” printed on the note is a fixed color and will not shift hues when tilted.
Watermark: When held up to the light, a grayscale watermark of Mao Zedong appears to the left of the portrait, along with a faint watermark of the numeral “1.
Security Thread: The ¥1 note does not have an embedded or windowed security thread.
See-Through Register: Small symbols printed on the front and back edges align perfectly to form the complete numeral “1” when held against light.
UV Features: Under UV light, you may see very faint glowing fibers embedded in the paper, but the note does not contain fluorescent inks or glowing serial numbers.
Iridescent Stripe/ Ribbon: The ¥1 note does not include an iridescent stripe or security ribbon. This feature is typically reserved for higher denominations.
Latent Image: No latent or hidden numerals appear on the ¥1 note when viewed at shallow angles. This is another advanced feature not found on this low denomination.
Microprinting: Microprinted text appears around Mao’s collar and along decorative borders. Under magnification, you can spot extremely small Chinese characters or “RMB” initials.

2. ¥5 Yuan Note

Raised (Intaglio) Printing: The portrait of Mao Zedong, the large numeral "5", and the inscription "People’s Bank of China” are printed with intaglio printing.
Colour-Shifting Ink: Some newer editions of the ¥5 note (especially post-2019 prints) feature a metallic ink on the numeral “5” that shifts from gold to green as you tilt the note.
Watermark: When held up to the light, a watermark of Mao’s face and the number “5” appear in the blank area of the note. It appears in varying shades of light and dark, creating a 3D-like visual.
Security Thread: The ¥5 denomination does not feature an embedded metallic or windowed security thread. It is only present in higher denominations.
See-Through Register: Printed marks and patterns on both the front and back sides of the note align perfectly to form the number “5” when viewed against light.
UV Features: Under ultraviolet (UV) light, the ¥5 note generally shows no fluorescence.
Iridescent Stripe/ Ribbon: This denomination does not include an iridescent security stripe. Any shine you see under regular light is from regular printing, not embedded material.
Latent Image: No latent image or hidden numerals appear when the note is viewed at an angle. This feature is generally reserved for higher denominations.
Microprinting: Using a magnifying glass, you'll see extremely fine text in areas such as the edge of the portrait or along the inner borders. These microprinted texts may say “RMB” or display serial codes.

3. ¥10 Yuan Note

Raised (Intaglio) Printing: Mao Zedong’s portrait, the number “10,” and the issuing authority text are slightly elevated from the paper surface.
Colour-Shifting Ink: The number “10” printed on the front changes from green to blue when the note is tilted. This dynamic shift is due to the presence of optically variable ink.
Watermark: A grayscale watermark of Mao’s portrait and the digit “10” becomes visible when the note is held up to a light source.
Security Thread: An embedded metallic thread runs vertically through the note. It may appear as a dark line when viewed in normal light, but reveals a shimmering line with embedded “10” microtext or symbols under bright light.
See-Through Register: On the top-left of the front and back, tiny printed shapes align exactly to form the number “10” when the note is viewed against light.
UV Features: Under UV light, the ¥10 note may show faint glowing dots or fibers embedded in the paper. These fluorescent patterns are invisible in normal light.
Iridescent Stripe/ Ribbon: This denomination does not feature a vertical iridescent security ribbon. If any shimmer or pattern is visible, it’s likely a print artifact.
Latent Image: Some earlier editions (2005) of this note included a latent “10” near the bottom right that appears only when viewed at a certain angle.
Microprinting: Microletters like “RMB” or “PBOC” are etched into the corners and near the portrait.

4. ¥20 Yuan Note

Raised (Intaglio) Printing: The portrait of Mao Zedong, the large numeral “20,” and the bank’s name are all printed using intaglio printing, creating a noticeable raised texture.
Colour-Shifting Ink: The large “20” printed on the front of the note changes colour from gold to green as you tilt it.
Watermark: Holding the note against light reveals a high-resolution watermark of Mao Zedong’s face and the number “20.”
Security Thread: A metallic or windowed security thread runs vertically through the left side of the note. It appears as a broken silver line under normal light but forms a continuous strip with embedded text or patterns when viewed closely or against light.
See-Through Register: Front and back printed elements line up precisely to form the number “20” when the note is held up to a light source.
UV Features: Under UV light, the ¥20 note may display faint glowing fibers and lightly fluorescent ink in specific regions, although it lacks the stronger UV effects seen in the ¥100 note.
Iridescent Stripe/ Ribbon: The ¥20 note does not contain a separate iridescent stripe. Any shimmer visible in light is a part of its printed background pattern, not an embedded anti-counterfeit feature.
Latent Image: The latest ¥20 notes do not feature a latent image. In some earlier editions, a hidden “20” may appear when the note is tilted, but this is not consistent across newer prints.
Microprinting: Using a magnifying glass, you’ll find microprinted text around Mao’s portrait and denomination areas.

5. ¥50 Yuan Note

Raised (Intaglio) Printing: The image of Mao Zedong, the number “50,” and the bank name are all printed using intaglio techniques.
Colour-Shifting Ink: The number “50” on the bottom-right front of the note shifts from green to blue as the viewing angle changes.
Watermark: Holding the note to light shows a faint but clear watermark of Mao Zedong’s portrait and the numeral “50.”
Security Thread: A metallic security thread runs vertically through the note and includes embedded text. It reflects light and can be seen from both sides when held against a bright light.
See-Through Register: Designs on the front and back align precisely to form the number “50” when held up to light.
UV Features: Under UV light, the ¥50 note reveals glowing patterns or fibers embedded in the paper, along with partial fluorescence around serial numbers and printed features.
Iridescent Stripe / Ribbon: Some 2015+ editions may include a shimmering iridescent band visible when tilted. This feature is especially noticeable under bright, angled lighting.
Latent Image: A latent “50” numeral may appear on the lower-right when the note is viewed at a shallow angle under natural light, although it may vary depending on the version.
Microprinting: Tiny inscriptions of “RMB”, “PBOC”, or the denomination are printed around the portrait and lower corners. These are only visible under a magnifying glass.

6. ¥100 Yuan Note

Raised (Intaglio) Printing: Mao Zedong’s portrait, the large “100,” and all main inscriptions are printed using intaglio techniques.
Colour-Shifting Ink: On the latest ¥100 notes (2015 series), the “100” on the front bottom-right shifts from gold to green as the angle changes.
Watermark: A high-resolution watermark of Mao Zedong and the number “100” appears when the note is held up to light.
Security Thread / Stripe: A colour-shifting thread runs vertically near the center of the note and is visible from both sides. In the 2015 series, this is a “wide windowed metallic thread” that changes colour and includes microtext, making it easy to verify.
See-Through Register: Tiny symbols printed on the front and back align perfectly to form the full number “100” when the note is viewed against a light source.
UV Features: Under UV light, several security features become visible. The denomination “100” glows in fluorescent green, and the embedded security fibers light up in various colours. The serial numbers on the note also fluoresce.
Iridescent Stripe: A shimmering vertical ribbon with changing colours runs near the right edge of the note. It reflects light in a dynamic, rainbow-like effect, and includes symbols such as the RMB sign (¥) or the “100” numerals.
Latent Image: A hidden “100” can be seen on the lower-right corner when the note is tilted at certain angles. It is printed using a special ink that becomes visible only at shallow angles.
Microprinting: Microtext such as “People’s Bank of China” and “100” is printed near the portrait and the lower corners.

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