Back to basics: Bundesdruckerei unveils a concept banknote in credit card format

• Presentation of the second concept banknote in the EX NIHILO series at the Banknote Conference in Washington, D.C., USA 
• Significantly reduced banknote size for sustainable production 
• Integration of innovative security features within a very small space

Washington, D.C., USA / Berlin, 13 May 2026 – Bundesdruckerei GmbH presented its latest concept for the banknote of the future at the Banknote Conference: STELLA focuses on maximum functionality whilst being reduced to credit card size. The prototype banknote from the EX NIHILO series was developed in collaboration with leading industry partners and has been nominated for the IACA (International Association of Currency Affairs) ‘Excellence in Currency Award 2026’ in the ‘Best New House Note’ category.

With STELLA, Bundesdruckerei GmbH is driving forward the development of physical banknotes in an increasingly digitalised world: whilst the use of digital currencies is advancing, experts believe that cash remains indispensable for a functioning economy, financial inclusion, and for citizens’ data protection and freedom of choice. “Innovative design approaches are necessary to ensure that cash can continue to fulfil these fundamental functions,” says Dr Adrian Heuberger-Lewerenz, Senior Expert Currency Developer at Bundesdruckerei GmbH and responsible for the conception and design of the EX NIHILO prototype banknotes. “The key to this is answering the following question: if banknotes are used less frequently but are still expected to meet the highest standards and remain an attractive means of payment – what new needs and requirements for the design and conception of banknotes can be identified that may not have been considered at all until now?” 

In keeping with this ambition, STELLA follows seamlessly on from its predecessor, IGNIS, which was unveiled in 2024 as part of the EX NIHILO series and has already won an IACA Excellence in Currency Award. With IGNIS, the boundaries of banknote printing were pushed by using black paper substrate and integrating digital functionality in the form of a highly secure and extremely thin chip embedded in the paper. STELLA now places an equally strong focus on sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

The STELLA concept banknote is printed on a polymer substrate made from renewable, non-fossil raw materials. This reduces the environmental impact whilst ensuring a long lifespan within the cash cycle. Furthermore, the banknote is reduced to its essential elements, with the smallest practicable dimensions. This enables significant savings in terms of raw material consumption, production time and energy use.

Despite its significantly smaller size compared to traditional banknotes, STELLA’s design offers the functionality and security expected of modern banknotes. The visual design is inspired by the stars – the origin of carbon. It thus focuses on the origin of life and matter and translates this theme into a banknote design that, in the spirit of sustainability, is deliberately focused on the essentials. To achieve this, STELLA employs a borderless design concept in which the entire surface, including the edges, is used to integrate both tried-and-tested and new security features that form an integral part of the design.

“The project reflects Bundesdruckerei GmbH’s overarching approach to innovation, which aims to address future challenges in banknote design with technically feasible and practical solutions,” says Elisabeth Limbacher, Head of Security Printing at Bundesdruckerei GmbH. “Cash will remain essential in the future, but a key factor in this is, not least, a balanced interplay of sustainability, security and practicality.”

STELLA is one of the projects recognised at this year’s IACA ‘Excellence in Currency Awards’, underscoring the ongoing relevance of innovation in banknote printing. The EX NIHILO series will continue to serve as a platform for exploring and evaluating forward-looking concepts on how design, materials and technology can be combined to meet evolving requirements. Two further sample notes from the EX NIHILO series are set to be unveiled at future industry events.

Further information on STELLA, IGNIS and the black concept banknote series EX NIHILO can be found here.

About Bundesdruckerei GmbH 

Bundesdruckerei GmbH, together with its subsidiary Maurer Electronics GmbH, drives technological developments in the fields of identity and access management, digitalisation of public administration, data analysis and artificial intelligence, as well as government payment instruments and value transfer systems. In doing so, it lays the foundations for a modern and resilient society. 

As a company within the Bundesdruckerei Group and with over 250 years of experience, the company is paving the way for a secure digital future. Bundesdruckerei GmbH currently employs around 3,200 people and achieved a turnover of 852 million euros in 2025. Further information is available at www.bundesdruckerei-gmbh.de