What are the most counterfeited US denominations in 2026?

The $20 bill is the most counterfeited US denomination by piece count, followed by the $100 by dollar value per fake note. That ranking is consistent with the most recent available data from the U.S. Secret Service. This guide covers which denominations are targeted most, why each is a risk for your business, and what detection standard each threat requires in practice.

Key takeaways

• Match your detection standard to your denomination mix UV alone for $1–$10 environments, UV plus MG for $20-heavy operations, and UV plus MG plus IR for any business regularly accepting $50 and $100 bills.

• Use MG detection to catch washed-bill $20 counterfeits UV and counterfeit pens both miss this technique because the genuine security thread survives bleaching; MG reads the ink, not the thread.

• Choose IR if your operation regularly accepts $100 bills sophisticated $100 fakes are specifically engineered to pass UV and often MG checks; IR closes that gap.

• Set a staff protocol for flagged bills do not return any suspect note to circulation; surrender it to your bank or local law enforcement for U.S. Secret Service verification.

• Do not rely on a counterfeit pen as your only protection for $20 bills washed-bill fakes pass the pen test because the cotton-linen paper is genuine; only MG or IR catches the reprinted ink.

What does the data show about counterfeited US denominations?

The $20 bill is the most frequently counterfeited denomination in the United States. The $100 ranks second by dollar value per fake note. In 2024, approximately $30 million in counterfeit currency was passed in the US, with $20 and $100 notes accounting for the majority by both piece count and dollar value.

The $20 is passed most because it is the most widely circulated bill in everyday commerce. It moves through retail, food service, and entertainment transactions constantly, giving counterfeiters high-volume, low-scrutiny opportunities. The $100 is targeted because the return per fake note is five times higher than a $20.

Browse the Nadex Coins bill counter range for models matched to each denomination risk tier. 

Why is the $20 bill the most counterfeited denomination?

The $20 is the most dispensed denomination from ATMs in the United States. It passes through more transactions per day than any other bill. A busy cashier handling dozens of $20 bills per shift has less time per note to inspect, and a fake $20 blends into a stack more easily than a fake $100 that triggers closer attention.

The most common technique for high-quality $20 counterfeits is the washed-bill method: bleaching a genuine $1 or $5 note which shares the same cotton-linen paper and UV-reactive security thread and reprinting $20 markings on it. The genuine thread survives bleaching and glows green under UV, the correct color for a $20. This bypasses UV-only detection and counterfeit pens entirely. Catching it requires MG detection which checks the magnetic ink of the reprinted denomination or IR, which reads the absorption profile of the reprinted ink. For more on how these methods work, visit the Nadex Coins blog.

Why does the $100 bill carry the highest dollar-value risk?

A single fake $100 accepted at the register costs five times more than a fake $20. For businesses accepting high-denomination cash regularly hotels, entertainment venues, high-end retail, restaurants a single busy shift could expose staff to multiple $100 counterfeits.

The $100 carries more embedded security features than any other US denomination: a 3D security ribbon, color-shifting ink, a portrait watermark, and a pink UV thread. Sophisticated $100 counterfeits are specifically designed to simulate these features well enough to pass a cursory visual check. The U.S. Currency Education Program publishes a full denomination-by-denomination security feature reference the $100 entry is the most detailed of any denomination.

Where do $50, $10, and $5 bills sit in the risk picture?

The $50 occupies a middle ground. It carries strong security features a yellow UV thread, color-shifting ink, and a watermark but circulates less than the $20 and carries less return per fake note than the $100. Counterfeit $50 notes do circulate but at significantly lower rates.

The $10 and $5 are rarely targeted. Producing a convincing fake $10 requires similar effort to a $20 but yields half the return. $1 and $2 bills carry no security thread and are almost never counterfeited. For businesses primarily handling small denominations, UV detection alone addresses the practical risk. For any business regularly accepting $50 and $100 bills, triple-layer UV, MG, and IR is the recommended standard. Browse the full Nadex Coins bill counter lineup to compare models with all three detection layers.

What detection standard does each denomination require?

The denomination breakdown shapes which detection standard your business needs. A coffee shop handling $5, $10, and $20 bills needs at minimum UV and MG UV to catch most low-grade fakes, MG to catch washed-bill $20 reprints. A restaurant, hotel, or entertainment venue regularly accepting $100 bills needs IR as well, because $100 counterfeits are engineered to pass UV and often MG checks.

Federal Reserve estimates place the stock of circulating counterfeits at approximately $15–$30 million, concentrated in $20 and $100 denominations. A bill counter with UV, MG, and IR running simultaneously covers all three risk tiers without requiring separate manual checks. The Nadex V1800 runs all three layers at 1,000 bills per minute. For point-of-sale detection of individual $50 and $100 bills during transactions, the Nadex Coins cash management range includes standalone UV and pass-through options for the register.

Frequently asked questions

1. Is the $20 really more commonly counterfeited than the $100?

Yes by piece count. The $20 is passed in higher quantities because it circulates more widely and draws less per-note scrutiny. The $100 is more significant by dollar value per fake note. Both are considered high-risk by the U.S. Secret Service, and both warrant triple-layer detection.

2. How much counterfeit money is in circulation in the US?

Federal Reserve estimates place the stock at approximately $15–$30 million roughly one counterfeit per 40,000 to 80,000 genuine notes. While the probability of receiving a counterfeit on any single transaction is low, the financial impact when one is accepted is immediate and unrecoverable.

3. Can counterfeit pens detect fake $20 bills made from washed genuine notes?

No. A counterfeit pen checks paper starch genuine US currency uses cotton-linen paper with no starch, so it marks gold. A washed-bill counterfeit retains the original cotton-linen paper. The pen marks gold and passes it. MG and IR catch this technique because they check the ink chemistry rather than the paper.

4. What should a business do if it accepts a counterfeit bill?

Do not return it to circulation. Set it aside, note the time and transaction details, and surrender it to your bank or local law enforcement. Your bank will pass it to the U.S. Secret Service for verification. Knowingly passing a counterfeit carries criminal liability regardless of whether it was originally received unknowingly.

5. Is UV detection enough to protect against $20 counterfeits?

Not fully. UV catches low-grade $20 fakes on plain paper. It does not catch washed-bill counterfeits where a genuine security thread survives bleaching the thread glows green under UV and passes. MG catches the incorrect magnetic ink of the reprinted denomination. For businesses handling significant $20 volumes, UV plus MG is the practical minimum. Adding IR completes the protection. The Nadex V1800 runs all three on every bill during counting.

Order the Nadex V1800 at $189.99 UV, MG, and IR running simultaneously on every bill, with free US shipping and a 1-year warranty.