Security Paper Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Security Feature (Threads, Fibres, Inks, Watermarks, Holograms, and Others), By Application (Currency/Banknotes, Passport/Visa, Cheques, Identity Cards, Legal & Government Documents, Certificates, Tickets, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

The global security paper market size was valued at USD 18.47 billion in 2024. The market is projected to be worth USD 19.65 billion in 2025 and reach USD 31.46 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.89% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific dominated the Security Paper Market with a market share of 32.54% in 2024.

Security paper constitutes a wide range of features that help qualify & identify a document as authentic or original. The utilization of these papers demonstrates the significance of a currency, identity card, or other important documents, helping to prevent counterfeiting. The rising utilization of significant security features such as watermarks, fibers, threads, and others is contributing to the global market share.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains across various several industries worldwide. However, the growing prevalence of the virus accelerated the shift toward rapid digitalization. The increased adoption of digital payments eliminated the demand for physical payment modes such as banknotes and other secure documents, further negatively impacting the market growth.

GLOBAL SECURITY PAPER MARKET OVERVIEW

Market Size & Forecast:

• 2024 Market Size: USD 18.47 billion
• 2025 Market Size: USD 19.65 billion
• 2032 Forecast Market Size: USD 31.46 billion
• CAGR: 6.89% from 2025–2032

Market Share:

• Asia Pacific led in 2023 with a 32.54% share, rising from USD 5.58 billion in 2023 to USD 6.01 billion in 2024.
• By feature: Threads dominated due to durability and counterfeit resistance.
• By application: Currency/banknotes held the largest share at 27.62% in 2023.

Key Country Highlights:

• China & India: Growth driven by rising demand for secure documents and anti-counterfeiting.
• United States: Strong demand for U.S. dollar and anti-counterfeiting solutions.
• Europe: Growth supported by major manufacturers, though slowed by digitalization.

Security Paper Market Trends

Continuous Advancements in Technologies Emerges as a Potential Market Trend

The significance of security features such as watermarks, threads, and holograms is generating lucrative opportunities for market growth. Continuous developments in the production of security documents are emerging as a key trend for market growth. The utilization of various advanced technologies to identify passports and certificates such as birth certificates and many other educational and qualification certificates, tax strips, and voting ballots highlights this trend. The advancements in technologies, such as nano-technology-based security features, hybrid paper, and invisible inks are contributing to market growth. In addition, the expansion of blockchain technology to fight against counterfeiting and fraud also propels market growth. Asia Pacific witnessed a security paper market growth from USD 5.58 billion in 2023 to USD 6.01 billion in 2024.

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Security Paper Market Growth Factors

Surge in Counterfeiting Activities Worldwide Drives Market Growth

Counterfeit banknotes or money are produced without government or state authorization to resemble official currency that is close enough to the original, which may be confused for the original. Utilization and production of counterfeit money or any legal/government document is a form of fraud. Although counterfeit banknotes do not possess any, they are highly utilized and have escaped detection for some time. The surge in counterfeit activities of critical documents such as currency, passports, vehicle papers, legal papers, and identification cards is boosting the demand for these papers. They offer enhanced features to prevent forging, counterfeiting, and unauthorized copies, further driving market growth.

Remarkable Growth in the Banking and Corporate Sectors Propels Market Growth

There is a tremendous rise in the banking and corporate sector worldwide. The augmenting growth in these sectors is boosting the demand for such papers with enhanced features, driving market growth. With the growing financial activities and expansion of geographic footprint by the organizations, the demand for secure and safe transactional documentation is increasing. Security papers play a crucial role in protecting sensitive information on documents, which, in turn, is expanding its utilization in the banking and corporate sectors. They help confirm the legitimacy of important papers by integrating numerous security elements and protecting them from tampering or counterfeiting. The increasing utilization of such papers in the growing banking & corporate sectors, government agencies, academic institutions, and financial institutions to preserve the integrity and validity of documents drive the global security paper market growth.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Digitalization of Transactions is Majorly Hampering Market Growth

Despite several benefits offered by the these papers to the worldwide industries, some factors limit market growth. The shift toward digital platforms for financial and personal interactions reduces reliance on physical documents, further limiting the market for secure paper products in major sectors such as banking and government documentation. The ease of payment and transactions through digitization is attracting the majority of customers to opt for online modes of transfer. It thus limits the usage of currencies and banknotes, restraining market growth. The digitization of important documents such as legal papers, vehicle licenses, and tickets offers ease of carrying, which thus, restrains the global security paper market growth. Moreover, the high overhead expenses associated with security printing also hamper the market growth.

Security Paper Market Segmentation Analysis

By Security Feature Analysis

Increasing Utilization of Threads for the Security of Currency/Banknotes Boosts Its Segment Growth

Based on security feature, the market is segmented into threads, fibres, inks, watermarks, holograms, and others.

Threads are the dominating security feature, accounting for the largest market share. Threads are highly durable and resilient to any pressure, making them ideal for high-security documents, passbooks, or bank currency and notes. They are embedded in the paper with clear, colored, and invisible fluorescence patterns, text, or numbers facilitating verification and recognition. Alteration or counterfeiting is prevented through the use of threads. The rising utilization of this significant security feature for the production of currency/banknotes majorly drives the segment’s growth. The segment held 32% of the market share in 2024.

Watermarks are the second-dominating security feature. The watermark is commonly found on currencies due to the ease of recognition by consumers. In addition, it protects against scanning, mechanical, chemical, and replication efforts. Moreover, they are incorporated during the printing phase of passports and stamps, further boosting the segment’s growth.

By Application Analysis

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Significant Importance of Banknotes for Transactions Thrives the Currency/Banknotes Segment

Based on application, the market is segmented into currency/banknotes, passport/visa, cheques, identity cards, legal & government documents, certificates, tickets, and others.

Currency/banknotes are the dominating application segment, driven by their role in counterfeit prevention, machine readability, physical durability, and public acceptance. They facilitate transactions, are convenient to carry and transfer, and offer ease of value storage than in the form of any other physical asset. Moreover, the currency facilitates making transactions anonymous, helping conceal activities from the government in a way that might help agents avoid laws, regulations, and taxes. The segment is likely to capture 28% of the market share in 2025.

Passport/visa is the second dominating application segment. The rising demand for passports and visas from consumers all across the world is enhancing the segment’s growth. The need to safeguard passports and visas is boosting the need for such papers worldwide. This segment is forecasted to record a considerable CAGR of 7.59% during the forecast period (2024-2032).

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

The market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

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Asia Pacific dominated the market with a valuation of USD 5.58 billion in 2023 and USD 6.01 billion in 2024. Asia Pacific is the dominating region in the global security paper market share. The rising utilization of such papers across all business longitudes to prevent counterfeiting is majorly swiftly the market growth in the region. The Chinese market is expected to hit USD 2.21 billion in 2025. The rapidly growing population along with the strong economic development in the region are further supporting market growth. India is estimated to gain USD 1.77 billion in 2025, while Japan is poised to hold USD 1.20 billion in the same year.

North America is the second largest narket set to hold USD 5.10 billion in 2025, documenting a considerable CAGR of 7.35% during the forecast period (2024-2032). North America is the second-dominating region for security paper. The U.S. dollar, being the most used reserve currency globally and the most traded currency in the foreign exchange market. The astonishing demand for U.S. currency and banknotes, along with the rising demand for anti-counterfeiting solutions, boosts the market growth in North America. The U.S. market is poised to gain USD 4.14 billion in 2025.

Europe is the third dominating region exected to hit USD 3.90 billion in 2025. The presence of major players manufacturing these papers drives market growth. The U.K. market is anticipated to be worth USD 0.72 billion in 2025. However, the rising digitization in both government and private sectors is slowing down market growth in Europe. Germany is expected to reach a market value of USD 0.85 billion in 2025, while France is estimated to reach USD 0.61 billion in the same year.

Latin America is the fourth largest market expected to be valued at USD 2.47 billion in 2025. Latin America will experience steady growth in the upcoming years. The increasing need to safeguard the finest security across business longitudes is boosting the demand for security paper in the region.

The Middle East & Africa region will witness moderate growth due to the rise in digitized government affairs and the lack of stable income sources in the region. Saudi Arabia is expected to stand at USD 0.56 billion in 2025.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Market Participants Emphasis on New Product Launches to Witness Significant Growth Opportunities

The global security paper market is highly fragmented and competitive. In the packaging industry, some key players hold the apex position by providing advanced packaging solutions. These players are continuously focusing on widening their customer reach across regions by updating their current range of products.

Prominent players in the market include Glesecke+Devrient, Security Paper Limited, Crane & Co., Inc., Louisenthal, Simpson Security Papers, KOMSCO, and others. Many other firms operating in the industry focus on market trends and providing innovative packaging solutions.

List of Top Security Paper Companies:

• Glesecke+Devrient (Germany)
• Security Paper Limited (Pakistan)
• Crane & Co., Inc. (U.S.)
• Louisenthal (Germany)
• Simpson Security Papers (U.S.)
• KOMSCO (South Korea)
• A1 Security Print Ltd. (U.K.)
• Sustana (U.S.)
• Ciotola S.R.L (Italy)
• Drewsen Spezialpapiere GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
• Goznak (Russia)
• The Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (Spain)
• VHP (Netherlands)
• Domtar Corporation (U.S.)
• Ceprohart SA (Romania)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• April 2024 – Drewsen Spezialpapiere GmbH & Co. KG announced an investment in the new film press for Paper Machine 1 (PM1). The company made an investment of USD 2.05 Million, which replaced the existing press and manufacturers' more sophisticated paper grades. PM1 further stated that the investment would further expand its market share and continue its position as the best manufacturer of security papers globally.
• March 2024 – Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp. (KOMSCO) declared the collaboration with the Costa Rican government, intending to share expertise and offer required assistance for the implementation of digital identification initiatives in the Central American country. The company introduced the concept of Korea's digital government and K-DID, a blockchain-based mobile ID system.
• January 2024 – IHMA announced the launch of the Security Image Register (SIR). The secure registry of holographic images, developed by the company, safeguards hologram copyright and reinforces the use of holograms in authentication and security printing. It offers a global database protecting the security images by recording & identifying all copyrights associated with every design of a security image.
• November 2022 –  Louisenthal, the banknote paper manufacturing company, launched a new house note called “The Dancer.” The new note was fascinating, forgery-proof, and present as a show time for its new design. The incorporated technology, JUMP, can be used on paper and polymer, and comprises two security features, such as the RollingStar LEAD foil and the firm’s proprietary SPARK technology.
• April 2022 – The state-owned Korea Minting, Security Printing, and ID Card Operating Corporation announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Digital Development. The agreement focused on digitizing government-issued documents, such as identification cards and certificates of tax payment, and expanding its export areas of security papers and inks to digital security solutions.

REPORT COVERAGE

The market research report provides a detailed market analysis and focuses on key aspects, such as top key players, competitive landscape, product/service types, market segments, porter’s five forces analysis, and leading segments of the product. Besides, the report offers insights into the market trends and highlights key industry developments. In addition to the abovementioned factors, the report encompasses several factors that have contributed to market growth in recent years.

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