Financial Strength

Currency Issuance & Digital Money

The capacity to issue and evolve the currency itself: the cash cycle, fast payment instruments and central bank digital money, the frontier on which monetary sovereignty is now contested. One of the capabilities of Monetary & Currency Capability.

International families: 17k2015 to 2024
Leading country: United States2.0× the next
All families: 52khome 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

United States

Japan

China

South Korea

Germany

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Cayman Islands

France

Canada

4,952

2,438

1,902

1,526

1,399

653

531

508

355

332


1	United States	4,952	29.1%	0.9×	12,022
2	Japan	2,438	14.4%	0.7×	6,641
3	China	1,902	11.2%	1.2×	16,746
4	South Korea	1,526	9.0%	1.3×	8,292
5	Germany	1,399	8.2%	0.9×	1,715
6	Switzerland	653	3.8%	1.6×	811
7	United Kingdom	531	3.1%	0.6×	726
8	Cayman Islands	508	3.0%	0.0×	583
9	France	355	2.1%	0.8×	499
10	Canada	332	2.0%	0.8×	585
11	Singapore	225	1.3%	1.1×	287
12	Australia	204	1.2%	0.6×	303
13	Taiwan	187	1.1%	0.9×	324
14	India	157	0.9%	1.4×	260
15	Sweden	149	0.9%	0.7×	163
16	Italy	142	0.8%	1.8×	259
17	Israel	127	0.7%	0.9×	186
18	Finland	95	0.6%	0.6×	108
19	Spain	88	0.5%	1.1×	101
20	Austria	83	0.5%	1.2×	89
21	Ireland	82	0.5%	0.6×	120
22	Netherlands	81	0.5%	0.9×	105
23	Türkiye	80	0.5%	2.8×	123
24	Russia	63	0.4%	0.3×	142
25	Hong Kong	42	0.2%	0.6×	66
26	Poland	29	0.2%	1.1×	48
27	Luxembourg	27	0.2%	0.6×	30
28	South Africa	25	0.1%	1.3×	26
29	Portugal	24	0.1%	2.0×	26
30	Denmark	23	0.1%	1.1×	26
31	Brazil	22	0.1%	1.4×	64
32	Saudi Arabia	20	0.1%	5.7×	31
33	Belgium	19	0.1%	0.6×	26
34	Norway	17	0.1%	0.1×	18
35	Czechia	11	0.1%	1.8×	14
36	New Zealand	8	0.0%	1.7×	16
37	Liechtenstein	8	0.0%	1.0×	10
38	Mexico	8	0.0%	0.1×	20
39	Hungary	8	0.0%	1.7×	13
40	Malaysia	6	0.0%	1.0×	10

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 Issuance & Digital Money. Names are as held in the source and are not consolidated across subsidiaries.

Global

16,989 international families

ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LTD · China

ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD · Cayman Islands

GLORY KOGYO KK · Japan

MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INC · United States

NCHAIN LICENSING AG · Switzerland

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH · Germany

517

491

440

416

347

United States

4,952 international families

MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INC

VISA INT SERVICE ASS

IBM

MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK NA

437

255

173

131

125

Japan

2,438 international families

GLORY KOGYO KK

OKI ELECTRIC IND CO LTD

FUJITSU FRONTECH LTD

SONY CORP

NIPPON KINSEN KIKAI KK

SONY GROUP CORP

440

175

102

China

1,902 international families

TENCENT TECH SHENZHEN CO LTD

ALIPAY HANGZHOU INF TECH CO LTD

ALIPAY HANGZHOU TECH CO LTD

HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

DIGITAL CURRENCY INST THE PEOPLES BANK OF CHINA

SHANDONG NEW BEIYANG INF TECH

212

201

141

131

South Korea

1,526 international families

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

HYOSUNG TNS INC

ELECTRONICS & TELECOMMUNICATIONS RES INST

COINPLUG INC

LG ELECTRONICS INC

SAMSUNG SDS CO LTD

143

Germany

1,399 international families

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH

SIEMENS AG

7.2% shared · 1,733 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Canada

2,907

1,531

1,087

813

421

Crosswalk

How Currency Issuance & Digital Money is matched to the patent classifications. The entries below were chosen for it; each stands for itself and everything beneath it in the scheme, 147 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
G06Q20/06	Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme	Electronic currency and private payment circuits	5	1	47,991
G06Q20/36	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes	Electronic wallets and electronic money safes	7	1	79,257
H04L9/50	Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees	Blockchains and other hash-chain ledgers	1	none	93,763
G07D	Handling of coins or valuable papers, e.g. testing, sorting by denominations, counting, dispensing, changing or depositing	Sorting, counting, testing and dispensing coins and banknotes	181	90	267,027
B42D25/29	Securities; Bank notes	Banknotes and securities with security features	1	1	29,161
D21H21/40	Agents facilitating proof of genuineness or preventing fraudulent alteration, e.g. for security paper	Security paper that proves genuineness	5	5	12,736

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 Issuance & Digital Money: 200 codes on 486,342 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
H04L9/50	Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees	H04L9/50	In the scheme	93,763
B42D25/29	Securities; Bank notes	B42D25/29	In the scheme	29,161
G06Q20/065	Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme using e-cash	G06Q20/06	In the scheme	28,060
G06Q20/3674	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes involving electronic purses or money safes involving authentication	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	18,916
G06Q20/36	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	15,950
G06Q20/367	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes involving electronic purses or money safes	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	13,563
G07D7/12	Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation	G07D	In the scheme	13,294
G06Q20/363	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes with the personal data of a user	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	12,427
G06Q20/3678	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes involving electronic purses or money safes e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	9,444
G06Q20/06	Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme	G06Q20/06	In the scheme	9,394
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
G06Q20/3672	Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using electronic wallets or electronic money safes involving electronic purses or money safes initialising or reloading thereof	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	6,229
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
G06Q20/0655	Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme using e-cash e-cash managed centrally	G06Q20/06	In the scheme	5,807
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
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
G06Q20/0658	Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme using e-cash e-cash managed locally	G06Q20/06	In the scheme	3,841
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
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
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
G06Q20/3676	Balancing accounts	G06Q20/36	In the scheme	2,728
G07D11/22	Means for sensing or detection	G07D	In the scheme	2,615
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
G07D11/20	Controlling or monitoring the operation of devices; Data handling	G07D	In the scheme	2,053
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
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
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
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
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
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
G07D3/06	Sorting coins by means of graded apertures arranged along a circular path	G07D	In the scheme	911
G06Q20/0652	Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme using e-cash e-cash with decreasing value according to a parameter, e.g. time	G06Q20/06	In the scheme	889
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
G07D7/183	Detecting folds or doubles	G07D	In the scheme	713
G07D11/36	Auditing of activities	G07D	In the scheme	705
G07D5/10	Testing the rim, e.g. the milling of the rim	G07D	In the scheme	666
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
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
G07D11/0084	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	414
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
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
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
G07D7/0053	Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings added to a pattern, e.g. interstitial points	G07D	In the scheme	189
G07D3/123	Sorting coins by means of stepped deflectors arranged on inclined paths the coins being deflected off rails	G07D	In the scheme	180
G07D11/0081	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	167
G07D11/0036	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	161
G07D11/0012	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	157
G07D2205/0011	Reconfiguration of coin testing devices by downloading test parameters, e.g. remotely	G07D	In the scheme	149
G07D7/122	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	143
G07D3/121	Sorting coins by means of stepped deflectors arranged on inclined paths	G07D	In the scheme	137
G07D7/15	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 heating means	G07D	In the scheme	137
G07D11/0009	Retired code	G07D	Retired, by main group	127
G07D5/06	Testing the hardness or elasticity	G07D	In the scheme	126
G07D7/0054	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	G07D	In the scheme	126
G07D3/126	Sorting coins by means of stepped deflectors arranged on inclined paths the coins being diverted by ramps in channels	G07D	In the scheme	122
G07D3/08	Sorting coins by means of graded apertures arranged on a helix	G07D	In the scheme	121
G07D7/023	Measuring conductivity by direct contact	G07D	In the scheme	117

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. Counts technology for digital money and the cash cycle, not central bank issuance itself; the blockchain entry exists in the Cooperative scheme only and covers all ledger uses, not just currency. The crosswalk is a first pass that nobody has reviewed.

Other capabilities in Monetary & Currency Capability

Monetary Policy & Price Stability
Exchange Rate & External Account Management