Strategic Infrastructure

Currency & Reserves

Currency and reserves covers the physical infrastructure of base money, including central bank facilities, mints and banknote printing works, cash centres and vaults, and reserve storage. One of the capabilities of Financial Infrastructure.

International families: 4,9752015 to 2024
Leading country: Japan1.7× the next
All families: 17khome filings included
Over five years: Falling2020 to 2024 against the five before

Year by year

Patent families by country of origin and the year of the earliest filing, 2000 to 2025; 2025 is a part year, still filling in. International families are those for which protection was sought beyond one country.

Volume

International patent families in the capability, by the year of the earliest filing.

Source: Global Institute for National Capability (GINC), 2026. Underlying patents from 107 patent offices, IFI CLAIMS and Google

Share by country

Each country's share of the year's international families, in per cent: the capability's five largest countries of origin, 2015 to 2024, and the rest of the world.

Source: Global Institute for National Capability (GINC), 2026. Underlying patents from 107 patent offices, IFI CLAIMS and Google

Country leaderboard

International patent families, 2015 to 2024, by country of origin. Growth compares the latest five full years with the five before.

Ten largest

Japan

Germany

United States

China

United Kingdom

South Korea

Switzerland

France

Australia

Italy

1,521

908

657

355

213

203

193

177


1	Japan	1,521	30.6%	0.5×	5,131
2	Germany	908	18.3%	0.7×	1,085
3	United States	657	13.2%	0.6×	1,220
4	China	355	7.1%	0.3×	6,514
5	United Kingdom	213	4.3%	0.4×	271
6	South Korea	203	4.1%	0.8×	1,375
7	Switzerland	193	3.9%	0.5×	214
8	France	177	3.6%	0.7×	247
9	Australia	75	1.5%	0.2×	110
10	Italy	71	1.4%	1.0×	158
11	Austria	69	1.4%	0.9×	73
12	Canada	54	1.1%	0.5×	94
13	Taiwan	44	0.9%	0.4×	109
14	Sweden	44	0.9%	0.4×	50
15	Spain	42	0.8%	1.0×	52
16	Russia	42	0.8%	0.3×	160
17	Netherlands	33	0.7%	0.7×	42
18	India	28	0.6%	0.5×	37
19	Israel	24	0.5%	1.2×	30
20	Poland	21	0.4%	0.6×	47
21	Belgium	19	0.4%	0.3×	23
22	Türkiye	19	0.4%	1.1×	44
23	Brazil	16	0.3%	1.0×	94
24	Portugal	15	0.3%	1.1×	16
25	South Africa	14	0.3%	0.8×	14
26	Singapore	13	0.3%	0.9×	14
27	Finland	10	0.2%	1.0×	11
28	Czechia	8	0.2%	3.0×	10
29	Denmark	6	0.1%	0.2×	8
30	Ireland	6	0.1%	1.0×	14
31	Cayman Islands	6	0.1%	0.0×	6
32	Hungary	6	0.1%	2.0×	10
33	Mexico	5	0.1%	0.3×	18
34	Norway	3	0.1%	0.0×	5
35	Saudi Arabia	3	0.1%	0.5×	4
36	Luxembourg	2	0.0%	0.0×	2
37	Malaysia	2	0.0%	1.0×	3
38	Hong Kong	1	0.0%	0.0×	12
39	Liechtenstein	0	0.0%	–	1

Applicants

The largest applicants by international patent families, 2015 to 2024: across the world, then within each of the five countries with the most families in Currency & Reserves. Names are as held in the source and are not consolidated across subsidiaries.

Global

4,975 international families

GLORY KOGYO KK · Japan

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH · Germany

GIESECKE DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECH GMBH · Germany

OKI ELECTRIC IND CO LTD · Japan

BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH · Germany

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH · Germany

438

370

182

175

148

147

Japan

1,521 international families

GLORY KOGYO KK

OKI ELECTRIC IND CO LTD

FUJITSU FRONTECH LTD

NIPPON KINSEN KIKAI KK

HITACHI OMRON TERMINAL SOLUTIONS CORP

TOSHIBA TEC KK

438

175

102

Germany

908 international families

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH

GIESECKE DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECH GMBH

BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH

KOENIG & BAUER AG

WINCOR NIXDORF INT GMBH

369

182

148

147

United States

657 international families

NCR CORP

DIEBOLD NIXDORF INC

CRANE & CO INC

NCR ATLEOS CORP

XEROX CORP

CRANE PAYMENT INNOVATIONS INC

China

355 international families

SHANDONG NEW BEIYANG INF TECH

GRG BANKING EQUIPMENT CO LTD

SHENZHEN YIHUA COMPUTER CO LTD

CHINA BANKNOTE PRINTING & MINTING CORP

ZHONGCHAO SPECIAL SECURITY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

SHENZHEN YIHUA TIME TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

United Kingdom

Germany

2,812

1,682

1,237

976

644

Crosswalk

How Currency & Reserves is matched to the patent classifications. The entries below were chosen for it; each stands for itself and everything beneath it in the scheme, 166 Cooperative entries in all. A patent family counts when any of its codes, in either scheme and at any office, falls under one of them. Codes since retired are placed under the entries that replaced them.

Entry	Title in the scheme	Why it is chosen	CPC codes	IPC codes	Documents
G07D	Handling of coins or valuable papers, e.g. testing, sorting by denominations, counting, dispensing, changing or depositing	Handling, testing, sorting and counting coins and banknotes	181	90	267,027
B42D25/29	Securities; Bank notes	Security features of banknotes and securities	1	1	29,161
B41M3/14	Security printing	Security printing	5	1	29,504
D21H21/40	Agents facilitating proof of genuineness or preventing fraudulent alteration, e.g. for security paper	Security paper and anti-forgery agents	5	5	12,736
A44C21/00	Coins; Emergency money; Beer or gambling coins or tokens, or the like	Coins and tokens	1	1	2,558
E05G	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables; bank protection devices; safety transaction partitions	Safes, strong-rooms and bank protection devices	25	15	43,487

CPC and IPC codes are the codes in use on patent documents, at any office, that fall under the entry. Documents is the larger of the two schemes' counts of documents carrying one of them. An entry with no IPC codes can be told apart only in the Cooperative scheme.

The Cooperative codes in use that count towards Currency & Reserves: 218 codes on 326,155 documents. The 150 most used are listed; the full list is in the cpc-to-capability.csv download.

Code	Title	Under entry	How placed	Documents
B42D25/29	Securities; Bank notes	B42D25/29	In the scheme	29,161
B41M3/14	Security printing	B41M3/14	In the scheme	18,361
G07D7/12	Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation	G07D	In the scheme	13,294
G07D11/50	Sorting or counting valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	7,199
G07D11/14	Inlet or outlet ports	G07D	In the scheme	6,303
G07D7/1205	Testing spectral properties	G07D	In the scheme	6,180
G07D11/16	Handling of valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	6,066
G07D9/00	Counting coins; Handling of coins not provided for in the other groups of this subclass	G07D	In the scheme	5,940
G07D11/40	Device architecture, e.g. modular construction	G07D	In the scheme	5,758
G07D11/12	Containers for valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	5,545
G07D5/08	Testing the magnetic or electric properties	G07D	In the scheme	5,266
G07D2211/00	Paper-money handling devices	G07D	In the scheme	5,097
B41M3/144	Security printing using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects	B41M3/14	In the scheme	5,095
G07D7/121	Apparatus characterised by sensor details	G07D	In the scheme	4,949
G07D7/04	Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint	G07D	In the scheme	4,693
G07D9/008	Feeding coins from bulk	G07D	In the scheme	4,689
G07D5/02	Testing the dimensions, e.g. thickness, diameter; Testing the deformation	G07D	In the scheme	4,429
G07D1/00	Coin dispensers	G07D	In the scheme	4,365
G07D11/10	Mechanical details	G07D	In the scheme	4,182
D21H21/40	Agents facilitating proof of genuineness or preventing fraudulent alteration, e.g. for security paper	D21H21/40	In the scheme	3,986
G07D5/00	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency	G07D	In the scheme	3,951
G07D7/20	Testing patterns thereon	G07D	In the scheme	3,872
G07D7/003	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using security elements	G07D	In the scheme	3,739
B41M3/148	Transitory images, i.e. images only visible from certain viewing angles	B41M3/14	In the scheme	3,726
E05G1/024	Wall or panel structure	E05G	In the scheme	3,669
G07D11/13	Containers for valuable papers with internal means for handling valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	3,641
D21H21/48	Elements suited for physical verification, e.g. by irradiation	D21H21/40	In the scheme	3,614
G07D7/128	Viewing devices	G07D	In the scheme	3,357
E05G1/005	Portable strong boxes, e.g. which may be fixed to a wall or the like	E05G	In the scheme	3,239
G07D7/00	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency	G07D	In the scheme	3,218
G07D7/004	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip	G07D	In the scheme	3,018
G07D3/14	Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements	G07D	In the scheme	2,916
G07D11/125	Secure containers	G07D	In the scheme	2,891
D21H21/42	Ribbons or strips	D21H21/40	In the scheme	2,809
G07D11/22	Means for sensing or detection	G07D	In the scheme	2,615
E05G1/00	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables	E05G	In the scheme	2,506
E05G1/10	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables with alarm, signal or indicator	E05G	In the scheme	2,469
A44C21/00	Coins; Emergency money; Beer or gambling coins or tokens, or the like	A44C21/00	In the scheme	2,466
G07D11/30	Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes	G07D	In the scheme	2,275
G07D2207/00	Paper-money testing devices	G07D	In the scheme	2,224
G07D11/18	Diverting into different paths or containers	G07D	In the scheme	2,201
E05G1/14	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables with means for masking or destroying the valuables, e.g. in case of theft	E05G	In the scheme	2,194
E05G1/04	Closure fasteners	E05G	In the scheme	2,142
G07D11/20	Controlling or monitoring the operation of devices; Data handling	G07D	In the scheme	2,053
E05G1/026	Closures	E05G	In the scheme	2,039
G07D7/0032	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using security elements using holograms	G07D	In the scheme	2,039
G07D3/00	Sorting a mixed bulk of coins into denominations	G07D	In the scheme	1,936
G07D7/0047	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination	G07D	In the scheme	1,885
G07D11/00	Devices accepting coins; Devices accepting, dispensing, sorting or counting valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	1,878
G07D7/206	Matching template patterns	G07D	In the scheme	1,829
G07D7/2033	Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper	G07D	In the scheme	1,805
G07D7/005	Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations	G07D	In the scheme	1,802
G07D3/16	Sorting a mixed bulk of coins into denominations in combination with coin-counting	G07D	In the scheme	1,799
G07D7/0043	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip using barcodes	G07D	In the scheme	1,771
E05G1/02	Details	E05G	In the scheme	1,752
G07D9/065	Devices for wrapping coins	G07D	In the scheme	1,739
G07D7/01	Testing electronic circuits therein	G07D	In the scheme	1,695
G07D9/002	Coin holding devices	G07D	In the scheme	1,659
G07D7/2016	Testing patterns thereon using feature extraction, e.g. segmentation, edge detection or Hough-transformation	G07D	In the scheme	1,651
G07D11/24	Managing the inventory of valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	1,648
B41M3/142	Security printing using chemical colour-formers or chemical reactions, e.g. leuco-dye/acid, photochromes	B41M3/14	In the scheme	1,625
D21H21/44	Latent security elements, i.e. detectable or becoming apparent only by use of special verification or tampering devices or methods	D21H21/40	In the scheme	1,613
G07D11/34	Monitoring the contents of devices, e.g. the number of stored valuable papers	G07D	In the scheme	1,522
G07D11/165	Picking	G07D	In the scheme	1,490
G07D11/009	Depositing devices	G07D	In the scheme	1,452
G07D7/164	Thickness	G07D	In the scheme	1,437
G07D7/202	Testing patterns thereon using pattern matching	G07D	In the scheme	1,422
G07D11/235	Means for sensing or detection for monitoring or indicating operating conditions; for detecting malfunctions	G07D	In the scheme	1,383
G07D1/02	Coin dispensers giving change	G07D	In the scheme	1,344
G07D7/205	Matching spectral properties	G07D	In the scheme	1,335
G07D11/0096	Accepting paper currency or other valuables in containers, e.g. in code-marked envelopes	G07D	In the scheme	1,284
G07D7/0034	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using security elements using watermarks	G07D	In the scheme	1,275
G07D5/005	Testing the surface pattern, e.g. relief	G07D	In the scheme	1,270
G07D11/237	Means for sensing or detection for monitoring or indicating operating conditions; for detecting malfunctions for detecting transport malfunctions, e.g. jams or misfeeds	G07D	In the scheme	1,260
E05G1/06	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables having provision for multiple compartments	E05G	In the scheme	1,244
G07D3/128	Rotary devices	G07D	In the scheme	1,238
G07D13/00	Handling of coins or of valuable papers, characterised by a combination of mechanisms not covered by a single one of groups G07D1/00 - G07D11/00	G07D	In the scheme	1,207
G07D11/17	Aligning	G07D	In the scheme	1,164
E05G1/08	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables having provision for multiple compartments secured individually	E05G	In the scheme	1,163
G07D11/26	Servicing, repairing or coping with irregularities, e.g. power failure or vandalism	G07D	In the scheme	1,130
G07D9/06	Devices for stacking or otherwise arranging coins on a support, e.g. apertured plate for use in counting coins	G07D	In the scheme	1,118
E05G7/001	Bank depositories	E05G	In the scheme	1,113
G07D11/245	Replenishment	G07D	In the scheme	1,083
G07D7/207	Matching patterns that are created by the interaction of two or more layers, e.g. moiré patterns	G07D	In the scheme	1,074
G07D7/06	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using wave or particle radiation	G07D	In the scheme	1,059
G07D11/25	Relocation of valuable papers within devices	G07D	In the scheme	1,053
G07D11/225	Means for sensing or detection for detecting or indicating tampering	G07D	In the scheme	1,050
G07D9/04	Hand- or motor-driven devices for counting coins	G07D	In the scheme	1,044
G07D5/04	Testing the weight	G07D	In the scheme	1,032
G07D11/60	User-interface arrangements	G07D	In the scheme	1,023
G07D11/23	Means for sensing or detection for sensing the quantity of valuable papers in containers	G07D	In the scheme	1,020
G07D11/32	Record keeping	G07D	In the scheme	995
G07D7/2008	Testing patterns thereon using pre-processing, e.g. de-blurring, averaging, normalisation or rotation	G07D	In the scheme	984
G07D7/187	Detecting defacement or contamination, e.g. dirt	G07D	In the scheme	977
G07D11/28	Setting of parameters; Software updates	G07D	In the scheme	944
G07D7/181	Testing mechanical properties or condition, e.g. wear or tear	G07D	In the scheme	942
E05G5/003	Entrance control	E05G	In the scheme	917
G07D3/06	Sorting coins by means of graded apertures arranged along a circular path	G07D	In the scheme	911
G07D7/162	Length or width	G07D	In the scheme	889
G07D3/02	Sorting coins by means of graded apertures	G07D	In the scheme	886
G07D7/17	Apparatus characterised by positioning means or by means responsive to positioning	G07D	In the scheme	863
G07D11/0087	Banknote changing devices	G07D	In the scheme	851
G07D9/004	Coin packages	G07D	In the scheme	833
G07D1/04	Coin dispensers giving change dispensing change equal to a sum deposited	G07D	In the scheme	772
G07D9/02	Change trays	G07D	In the scheme	772
G07D1/06	Coin dispensers giving change dispensing the difference between a sum paid and a sum charged	G07D	In the scheme	759
G07D7/026	Testing electrical properties of the materials thereof using capacitive sensors	G07D	In the scheme	750
G07D2201/00	Coin dispensers	G07D	In the scheme	740
G07D3/04	Sorting coins by means of graded apertures arranged on an inclined rail	G07D	In the scheme	739
D21H21/46	Elements suited for chemical verification or impeding chemical tampering, e.g. by use of eradicators	D21H21/40	In the scheme	714
E05G5/02	Trapping or confining mechanisms, e.g. transaction security booths	E05G	In the scheme	713
G07D7/183	Detecting folds or doubles	G07D	In the scheme	713
G07D11/36	Auditing of activities	G07D	In the scheme	705
B41M3/146	Security printing using a non human-readable pattern which becomes visible on reproduction, e.g. a void mark	B41M3/14	In the scheme	697
G07D5/10	Testing the rim, e.g. the milling of the rim	G07D	In the scheme	666
E05G1/12	Safes or strong-rooms for valuables with fluent-material releasing, generating or distributing means, e.g. fire-retardant or fire extinguishing means	E05G	In the scheme	646
G07D7/08	Acoustic waves	G07D	In the scheme	633
G07D7/14	Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using chemical means	G07D	In the scheme	601
G07D7/16	Testing the dimensions	G07D	In the scheme	567
G07D11/0021	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	557
G07D11/0093	Drop boxes	G07D	In the scheme	544
G07D2205/00	Coin testing devices	G07D	In the scheme	499
E05G5/006	Cashier's counters or receptables for holding valuables readily accessible for handling, with safeguard mechanisms for the valuables in case of hold-up	E05G	In the scheme	458
G07D11/175	Flattening, e.g. straightening out folds	G07D	In the scheme	437
G07D7/2075	Setting acceptance levels or parameters	G07D	In the scheme	437
G07D7/185	Detecting holes or pores	G07D	In the scheme	435
G07D7/2041	Matching statistical distributions, e.g. of particle sizes orientations	G07D	In the scheme	421
G07D7/02	Testing electrical properties of the materials thereof	G07D	In the scheme	418
E05G7/004	Security barriers for bank teller windows movable	E05G	In the scheme	416
G07D11/0084	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	414
E05G2700/00	Safes or accessories thereof	E05G	In the scheme	392
E05G7/00	Safety transaction partitions, e.g. movable pay-plates; Bank drive-up windows	E05G	In the scheme	374
G07D7/189	Detecting attached objects, e.g. tapes or clips	G07D	In the scheme	369
G07D3/10	Sorting coins by means of graded apertures provided by sieves arranged in series	G07D	In the scheme	356
G07D7/182	Testing stiffness	G07D	In the scheme	324
G07D11/0006	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	321
G07D2205/0012	Reconfiguration of coin testing devices automatic adjustment, e.g. self-calibration	G07D	In the scheme	312
G07D11/0018	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	285
G07D9/006	Coin wrappers	G07D	In the scheme	276
G07D7/2083	Learning	G07D	In the scheme	274
E05G2700/02	Strong boxes, wall safes	E05G	In the scheme	264
E05G7/008	Pass-boxes therefor, e.g. with stationary bottoms with slidable bottoms, e.g. bank drive-up windows	E05G	In the scheme	249
G07D3/125	Sorting coins by means of stepped deflectors arranged on inclined paths the coins being deflected off rails by moving deflectors	G07D	In the scheme	243
G07D7/10	Microwaves	G07D	In the scheme	242
G07D1/08	Coin dispensers giving change hand actuated	G07D	In the scheme	234
G07D3/12	Sorting coins by means of stepped deflectors	G07D	In the scheme	233
E05G7/002	Security barriers for bank teller windows	E05G	In the scheme	218
G07D11/135	Remote note containers	G07D	In the scheme	214
G07D7/0056	Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings the properties of which are altered from original properties involving markings of altered colours	G07D	In the scheme	209
E05G5/00	Bank protection devices	E05G	In the scheme	205

Match: Through its tools

The classification names the equipment or technology the capability draws on, not the capability. The count says how much is being invented for it, not how well it is done. E05G includes household safes; central banks and reserve holdings themselves have no entry. The crosswalk is a first pass that nobody has reviewed.

Currency & Reserves

Year by year

Volume

Share by country

Country leaderboard

Ten largest

Applicants

Global

Japan

Germany

United States

China

United Kingdom

Similar capabilities

Crosswalk

Other capabilities in Financial Infrastructure