Welcome to your first issue of Tax Stamp & Authentication News™ (TSAN). This 12-page monthly newsletter merges Reconnaissance’s previous newsletters Authentication & Brand News™ and Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ into a single publication that reflects the convergence of markets, technologies, and policies related to revenue mobilisation, brand protection and product traceability.

At the Optical & Digital Document Security™ conference in September, Adrian Monostori of ANY Security Printing and Oliver Steinbis of Bosch Secure Authentication (BSA) presented AURORA, a jointly developed application of Bosch’s Origify system. The aim of the application is to bring an additional layer of protection to tax stamps in the form of a multilayered QR code.

Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection has announced a strategic partnership with security printing company Schwarz Druck for the launch of its ‘protected at print’ initiative – an important step towards integrating smartphone-readable authentication into the design of secure documents, before printing.

The International Optical Technologies Association recently announced the winners of its inaugural Excellence in Optical Technologies Awards, during a ceremony at the Optical & Digital Document Security™ conference in Warsaw, Poland.

SICPA has officially introduced its Digital Market Intelligence (DMI) module in Malaysia following the module’s global launch.

While thermochromic ink is often used as an anticounterfeiting tool for applications such as tax stamps, many security printing and brand protection firms consider the ink to provide a weaker level of protection compared to more advanced technologies, in large part because it is widely available to any printer.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has formalised a partnership with the Alliance for Gray Market and Counterfeit Abatement (AGMA) – a nonprofit coalition of technology companies, distributors, and service providers. Under the partnership, AGMA will provide CBP officers nationwide with the ‘One Device’ platform for authenticating multiple brands or product lines.

Septillion Technologies, based in Scotland, has secured funding from Scottish Enterprise – the country’s economic development agency – to advance blockchain-enabled traceability in the electronics manufacturing industry.

IFA Celtics, a leading Mexican pharmaceutical manufacturer, has partnered with ForgeStop, a connected-product technology company, to launch NFC-enabled smart packaging. The packaging will allow patients, pharmacists, and regulators to instantly authenticate IFA Celtics medicines by smartphone, with no special app required.

Until now, infrared-based security has faced a drawback, in that once a pattern is printed or encoded, it cannot be changed. Most systems are static, meaning the same hidden pattern is locked in at the point of manufacture, limiting the complexity and adaptability of the protection.

Hong Kong Customs has started a three-month pilot scheme under its new duty stamp system to tackle illicit tobacco sales and ensure tax compliance.

Septillion Technologies, based in Scotland, has secured funding from Scottish Enterprise (SE) – the country’s economic development agency – to advance blockchain-enabled traceability in the electronics manufacturing industry.

The pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, adopting new technologies and optimising resources to meet authentication and anticounterfeiting challenges.

US startup MarqVision has completed a $48 million second-round financing that will be used to roll out its AI-based engine for detecting and removing counterfeit and pirated goods across online platforms.

Guinea-Bissau has enacted a national mandate for pharmaceutical traceability, establishing a regulatory system that requires the tracking and authentication of every medicine throughout the supply chain.

Warsaw, Poland, played host to the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) 2025 conference from 15-17 September. The event confirmed once again that ODDS is the world’s leading forum (some would argue only forum) for the science and technology of secure documents.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has announced a budget of KRW 7.248 billion ($5.2 million) for 2026, representing a 2.7% increase from the current year.

Global agribusiness leader Bunge has strengthened its partnership with Bangkok Produce Merchandising (BKP), a subsidiary of Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group), to improve soya traceability from Brazil. This initiative represents a significant step toward creating more transparent, responsible, and sustainable agricultural supply chains in Southeast Asia.

After three decades as a leading source of information for the authentication industry, Authentication & Brand News™ (ABN) is entering a new chapter. Starting in October 2025, ABN will merge with its sister publication, Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ (TSTN), to form a single, expanded publication: Tax Stamp & Authentication News™ (TSAN).

Abu Dhabi-listed e7 Group, a security printer and identity solution provider, has entered into a strategic partnership with 7I Holding, a UAE-based government technology firm and regional affiliate of SICPA, to expand global reach in secure and sovereign applications, including national revenue optimisation.

According to Tobacco Reporter, Indonesia’s government is conducting an in-depth review of its cigarette excise system following allegations of forgery and manipulation, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said after a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto.

In 2019, we decided to expand the scope of Tax Stamp News™ (as it was called back then) into the traceability realm, in order to reflect the fact that national tax stamp programmes were becoming increasingly integrated into production monitoring and track and trace systems.

At the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) webinar held on 24 September – with 24 revenue/customs authorities in attendance – guest speaker Dr Hana Ross from the University of Cape Town and Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies examined the prerequisites for achieving track and trace success on excisable products, referring to real-world cases of successful and failed systems.

Illicit trade in tobacco and vapor products has become a critical challenge facing policymakers, regulators, revenue authorities, and law enforcement. Once seen as a secondary issue compared to narcotics or counterfeit pharmaceuticals, illicit tobacco is now a clear and present threat for many countries across the globe.

In September, technical experts from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat engaged with Chad government officials, parliamentarians, civil society organisations and other national stakeholders in a joint needs assessment to support the country’s implementation of the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, which it has been party to since 2018.

A Lithuanian man has been arrested for trying to smuggle more than one million cigarettes into Poland after a road accident exposed the contraband concealed in his van.

Crane Authentication – a Crane NXT business unit – has unveiled its latest innovation in overt security: PROFOUND® TruSpectrum™, which extends the colour palette of its micro-optic labels to match the spectrum of colours integral to a brand’s visual identity.

US startup MarqVision has completed a $48 million second-round financing that will be used to roll out its AI-based engine for detecting and removing counterfeit and pirated goods across online platforms.

The Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA), in partnership with Accenture, has released its first-ever industry report, ‘Indian Traceability & Authentication Industry Study’, which projects the sector will grow at a CAGR of 11.3% to reach £1.3 billion by 2028-29.

Brazil’s federal police recently pulled back the curtain on a criminal web that had infiltrated the country’s fuel distribution chains. While organised crime in Brazil has been expanding, for some time now, from drug and arms trafficking into biofuel and fossil fuels, the government is yet to take the lead on implementing a nationwide modern fuel traceability system.

The Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA), India’s leading industry body for authentication and traceability solutions, has announced its newly elected board members for the 2025–2027 term. The appointments were confirmed at ASPA’s annual general meeting (AGM), held on 10 September in New Delhi.

Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ readers may remember Carolina Saravia from the 2024 article ‘Chile’s Tobacco Traceability System Uncovers Illicit Production in Santiago’.

The Portuguese government has announced a 2% increase in the price that tobacco companies will need to pay for tax stamps in 2026, alongside a change in the stamps’ background colour.

The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) is pleased to announce it will be hosting a webinar on Wednesday 24 September, titled ‘Tax Stamp and Traceability Systems on Excisable Products: What Works, What Fails, What’s Ahead’.

Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) is making progress in safeguarding fuel integrity through a technology- driven strategy, according to local news site Citizen Digital.

Since 2005, SICPA has been a trailblazer in the tax stamp industry, consistently introducing innovations that have reshaped the market. These include the integration of unique identifiers into tax stamps, the use of cameras to activate stamps on production lines, and the application of security inks for direct marking.

Argentina’s cigarette tax stamps have undergone a redesign following the transformation of the country’s tax authority from the Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) to the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA). While the change reflects new institutional branding and regulatory updates under General Resolution 5603/2024, the stamps’ core optical security features remain firmly in place.

Smurfit Westrock Security Concepts (SWSC), the Irish high-security printing and identity management solutions provider, has been awarded a contract by Revenue Commissioners (Revenue), Ireland, to provide 110-150 million unique identification codes per year for all tobacco related products imported and sold in the country.

Portugal has become the latest EU member state to officially oppose the European Commission’s proposed reforms to the Tobacco Excise Tax Directive (TED) – especially the one calling for a sharp increase in minimum tax rates. According to Portugal, this will drive consumers to the illicit market, reports The European Business Review.

In the June 2025 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we reported that KPMG had released its ‘Illicit Cigarette Consumption in Europe’ report for 2024, commissioned by Philip Morris. Prompted by a later in-depth report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the illicit cigarette trade in Hull, a port city on England’s North Sea coast, this article examines the situation in the UK as a whole.

In a long-awaited shift that signals growing legal acceptance of industrial hemp, German customs authorities have begun issuing official tax stamps for hemp flowers containing no detectable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a ‘high’.

The Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference, taking place from 15-17 September in Warsaw, Poland, and supported by the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA), is the key technical forum for physical, digital, and virtual document security. All arrangements are now in place, and attendance is expected to reach capacity for the three-day event.

In Authentication & Brand News™, March 2024, we reported on the US state of Georgia’s decision to adopt watermarks and reject QR codes on ballot papers. In May 2025, we highlighted Mohave County’s approval to add security features to its ballots for the 2026 midterm elections, in an effort to restore voter trust.

In the first half of 2025, while some mints were introducing new developments for enhanced authentication, two major refiners – Argor-Heraeus and ABC Refinery – launched new technologies and product lines to provide verified origin data and support responsible sourcing. This article covers these recent developments.

According to estimates, in recent years, Pakistan’s illicit economy – which consists of everything from drugs, consumer goods, tobacco, foreign currency, to oil and lubricants – has thrived, costing over PKR. 2 trillion (about $7 billion) annually to its economy (see also ABN June 2025). Tax evasion related to illicit trade in tea, tyres, automotive lubricants, and pharmaceuticals has grown to c. PKR 160 billion per year. In such a scenario, brand protection becomes more critical than ever. This article covers Shell Pakistan’s strategy to combat this growing fight against fakes.

Vietnam has developed a government-backed national product identification and traceability solution known as NDATrace (‘NDA’ stands for ‘National Digital Authentication’) to address the increasing issue of counterfeit and substandard goods in the country. The solution aims to combine previously fragmented systems into a single, trusted platform for data verification across government and private sectors.

The UK is home to world-class science, cutting-edge authentication technologies and a regulatory tradition that commands global respect. Yet, counterfeit medicines continue to infiltrate the country’s supply chains. Recent incidents reveal that even a country celebrated as a hub of anticounterfeiting innovation is struggling to keep ahead of the criminals.

Researchers at Cornell University, New York, have created an innovative method for detecting altered or fabricated videos, which consists of embedding invisible watermarks in the light sources used in the production of genuine videos. They call this new type of watermarking ‘noise-coded illumination’ (NCI).

Traditionally, the technologies used to catch counterfeit goods and those used to monitor food safety have had little in common. Anticounterfeiting relies on complex visuals – holograms, microtext, or colour-shifting inks – designed to be hard to copy. Food safety, on the other hand, focuses on detecting chemical changes that signal spoilage, like rising acidity or the release of gases.

Researchers from the University of Brighton, UK, have developed a handheld, general-purpose sensor device for verifying the authenticity of medicines quickly, accurately and affordably.

Almost one year ago, Authentix completed the acquisition of the authentication operations of the Canadian group Meta Materials, specifically involving Nanotech Security Corp, for circa $10 million.

In the June 2025 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we reported that KPMG had released its ‘Illicit Cigarette Consumption in Europe’ report for 2024, commissioned by Philip Morris International. Prompted by a later in-depth report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the illicit cigarette trade in Hull, a port city on England’s North Sea coast, this article examines the situation in the UK as a whole.

In a move that is both welcome and long overdue, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced the seizure of nearly $34 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarettes during a coordinated operation at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport. The scale and scope of this joint action – nearly 1.4 million units of illegal products – signals a critical shift: enforcement against the illicit vapor market is no longer just theoretical.

When designing security features for tax stamps, attention is increasingly being paid to features created by digital printing, since this technology is developing very fast. However, many highly effective tax stamps, in use today, carry features printed with traditional, analogue methods, such as offset and intaglio. So, which is better? Or should both methods be used together for an optimal security solution?

According to Tobacco Reporter, the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has reported collections of PHP 942 million ($17 million) in excise taxes, on 130 million millilitres of vape products, in the six months since its vape stamp system was introduced (1 June 2024). In 2023, those numbers were only PHP 224 million ($4 million) on 11.2 million millilitres, for the entire year.

During the April 2025 Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, Linstrom Marangu, Health Tax Specialist from the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), chaired a panel discussion on the need to integrate excise systems into an overarching tax administration platform.

According to local press, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has successfully raised the level of compliance in the market of excisable goods subject to tax stamps, thanks, in large part, to the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

In April this year, President Noboa of Ecuador, who has positioned himself and his administration as focused on law and order, was re-elected with over 55% of the popular vote. His stance on fighting corruption and drug- related violence might prove fertile ground for a more efficient fight against other criminal activity such as the rise in contraband cigarettes. Months before the election, a congressional justice committee highlighted the importance of tobacco traceability in a draft bill against illicit trade but, so far, the regulations established in late 2021 remain in force.

A new World Economic Forum report1 has identified generative AI watermarking as one of the top 10 emerging technologies of 2025.

In response to the growing threat posed by high-quality counterfeit pharmaceuticals, Alliance Pharmaceuticals has partnered with TrueMed to strengthen its brand protection strategy.

‘I really need help,’ posted a brand owner who used Amazon to ship its products, referring to the serialised ‘Transparency’ QR codes that brands apply to individual product units to verify authenticity and combat counterfeiting.

In June, police officials in India exposed a counterfeit postage stamp scam worth INR 25 million ($290,000), while last year, in the US, a California resident pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Postal Service out of more than $150 million through fake stamps. Similarly, in the UK, Royal Mail investigated the mass counterfeiting of its new barcoded stamps after customers reported being forced to pay a £5 penalty to collect mail due to counterfeit stamps.

In the last edition of Authentication and Brand News™, we described Italy’s new state seal adorned with the national flag for wine authenticity. Produced by Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), the new seal symbolises Italian patriotism as well as designation of origin. In this article, we look at how IPZS is working as a quiet but formidable guardian for Italian trust and authenticity.

At various industry events and meetings, and on diverse platforms, a perennial question surfaces: what is the true market size of anticounterfeiting technologies in the brand protection domain? Despite this editor’s long experience in this sector, the anticounterfeitingw question has consistently presented a significant challenge.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) is actively advancing its Strategic Plan 2030, which aims to build a strong, inclusive, and sustainable intellectual property (IP) system across Europe. A recent milestone in this effort was a high-level conference held on 1-2 July 2025, co-hosted with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) at EUIPO’s headquarters in Alicante, Spain.

Photonic crystals (PCs) are optical nanostructures that affect the propagation of light by the periodic variation in their refractive index. As counterfeiting techniques become ever more sophisticated, PCs offer physically unclonable functions (PUFs) due to their defect-sensitive optical behaviour and structural colours that cannot be reproduced accurately by traditional printing or scanning techniques.

US-based Lumenco, together with its subsidiary in brand protection (Nanopixel®), has announced a strategic alliance with UK-based XRD Nano to co-develop new-generation solutions for manufacturing microlens arrays and high-performance UV chemistry for brand security.

Amid sweeping efforts by President Milei’s government to reform Argentina’s tax administration, the country’s tobacco tax stamp programme is an important step towards such reform. While the programme has helped Argentina’s tax authority reconcile production volumes with the number of products actually sold and taxes paid, there is an ongoing price disparity in the market, between manufacturers and resellers, that is ultimately resulting in less tax going to the government.

KPMG has released its latest annual study on illicit cigarettes in Europe, commissioned by Philip Morris Products SA, and covering 38 European markets (including 27 EU member states). The study shows that while overall illicit consumption in Europe grew marginally in 2024 (by 0.2%), consumption in the EU27 soared by 10.8% to reach 9.2% of the total market – the highest level in nearly a decade.

Togo has launched a fuel marking system, initially for subsidised industrial diesel, but rapidly extending, in a second phase, to unleaded gasoline and road diesel.

The Uttarakhand State Excise Department, located in northern India, has enhanced its tax stamps by incorporating optical security features.

Book piracy and academic fraud present significant threats to education worldwide. Counterfeit textbooks flood the market, while fake diplomas erode trust in qualifications. As publishing increasingly transitions to digital platforms globally, pirates are discovering new methods to exploit vulnerabilities. In response, governments, publishers, and regulatory bodies are adopting innovative technologies. This article examines recent initiatives.

Crane Authentication has launched two distinct solutions: InsightPulse™ and Digital Asset Watermarking. Each aims to address different challenges in today’s complex phygital-threat landscape.

Crane Authentication has launched two distinct solutions: InsightPulse™ and Digital Asset Watermarking. Each aims to address different challenges in today's complex phygital threat landscape.

From April 2025, every bottle of Italy’s finest DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) and DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) wine features a new state seal adorned with the national flag. The tricolour flag is displayed next to the emblem of the Italian Republic, transforming the seal into a symbol of patriotism as well as a designation of origin.

A new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the EU Intellectual Property Office, have revealed that, in 2021, global trade in counterfeit goods was valued at approximately $467 billion, or 2.3% of total global imports. This absolute value represents an increase from 2019, when counterfeit trade was at $464 billion, although its relative share decreased compared to 2019 when it accounted for 2.5% of world trade. For imports into the EU, the value of counterfeits was estimated at $117 billion, or 4.7% of total EU imports.

Upcoming EU regulations are expected to transform the fashion resale market by potentially doubling the lifetime value of products. Research from Bain & Company and eBay suggests that consumers could reap up to 65% of these benefits. This shift offers a unique opportunity for brands to enhance their value chains through increased transparency, trust, and circularity, moving beyond mere regulatory compliance.

Pakistan faces a significant challenge from illicit trade and counterfeiting, a reality starkly reflected in the ‘2025 Illicit Trade Index’, published by the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), where Pakistan ranked 101 out of 158 countries.

TOPPAN Digital has expanded its Illumigram™ offering with a new colour version. Originally available only in white, the enhanced hologram now delivers multi-colour 3D text and images that appear when illuminated by strong light – such as a smartphone torch.

South Korean startup NexpotSolution is emerging as a key player in the anticounterfeiting industry with its proprietary authentication solution, AllmyTAG. Central to this solution is a technology known as the Layer QR Code, designed to address the vulnerabilities of traditional QR codes.

Africa is a continent with a serious financing gap. According to the African Union, ‘Africa’s sustainable financing gap until 2030 is about $1.6 trillion,’ and ‘the continent needs additional financing of about $194 billion annually to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This financing gap is equivalent to 7% of Africa’s GDP’.

In recent years, governments have been expanding the range of goods and services they apply excise tax and regulatory controls to – not only for generating additional revenue, but also to influence consumer behaviour, address public health concerns, and support environmental and regulatory objectives.

The Royal Mint has unveiled a groundbreaking addition to its bullion portfolio with the launch of the new secure Britannia bullion bar. For the first time, innovative security features - previously exclusive to its world-renowned coins - have been rolled out into its gold bar range.

Labubu fever is everywhere, but with that popularity comes an influx of fakes. The quirky monster doll is making headlines again - this time for all the wrong reasons. Labubu, the wide-eyed creature popularised by the Chinese toy brand Pop Mart, is now at the centre of a growing counterfeit crisis.

In time for World Anticounterfeiting Day, the US-based resale platform StockX has released its second annual Brand Protection & Customer Trust Report, showcasing the company's significant advancements in verification, fraud prevention, and anti-counterfeiting measures throughout 2024.

The Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) is a non- governmental organisation consisting of corporations and select trade associations within a range of sectors, including tobacco, alcohol, agri-foods, petroleum, and pharmaceuticals. It has released a report titled ‘South Africa’s Fight Against Illicit Trade – A Strategic Review’. The report reveals that while the country has improved its cross-border enforcement and customs capacity, as well as controls over the informal economy, it has performed significantly less well in other areas with regard to anti-illicit trade efforts.

Whilst the authentication industry is witnessing consolidation through mergers and acquisitions, it is also seeing a strong wave of investment in capacity-building and innovation. This article looks at some of the latest investments within the RFID, holography, and security printing sectors.

In our January edition of Authentication & Brand News™, we asked: ‘could 2025 be the year for smart and sustainable IoT labels?’ The question was prompted by the unveiling of new smart label solutions from Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and Linxens. The solutions are emblematic of a larger shift in logistics and authentication: moving from traditional scan-based systems to sensing-based networks.

Taking place in the historic and vibrant city of Warsaw, Poland (15-17 September), the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) 2025 conference continues its mission of showcasing the most advanced research, innovation, and debate in the field of document protection. With a dynamic programme ranging from cutting-edge optical features to quantum-resilient digital security, ODDS 2025 is where ideas are shared, challenged, and transformed into real-world solutions.

On the occasion of the recent International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) Annual Conference in San Diego, USA, the IACC launched its Marketplace Advisory Council (MAC) – a forum for cross-industry collaboration in the fight against fakes.

A recent report by the Chilean Instituto de Salud Pública (ISP), the national regulatory authority for pharmaceutical products, has sparked the interest of several local news outlets, due to the report’s surprising conclusions regarding the illicit trade of pharmaceuticals in the nation.

Efforts to combat counterfeiting have traditionally relied on visual markers such as holograms, microtext, and invisible inks, but advanced replication technologies are increasingly challenging these measures.

While it is still early days for the Trump administration, news agencies are chock-full of stories to report. Amongst the most popular have been the constant changes in US trade policy, which are not only surprising to many, but which seem to lack a clear path for allowing governments and business to modify their own policies to manage the effects of the US ones.

The UK’s decision to implement a new vaping products duty, paired with a mandatory duty stamp, marks a pivotal evolution in its regulatory posture toward nicotine-containing vape products.

New York State is at a critical juncture. Despite legalizing adult-use cannabis more than two years ago, the state has yet to implement a meaningful seed-to-sale tracking system. As a result, the illicit market is not just thriving – it’s dominating.

According to the Pakistani press, the country’s government has introduced an amendment to the 1934 Petroleum Act to implement real-time tracking of petroleum products, from import and production to retail sale. This move aims to reduce massive annual revenue losses estimated at PKR 300-500 billion ($1.1-$1.8 billion), due to smuggling and adulteration of petroleum products.

At the recent Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, Dr Hana Ross from the World Bank Global Tax Program shared findings from a 2020 study examining Poland’s approach to regulating the raw tobacco supply chain. The study highlighted how targeted controls helped the country significantly reduce its illicit tobacco trade.

The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the National Bureau of Standards, has introduced secure stickers with unique identifiers for displaying at fuel stations as visible proof of regulatory compliance.

Crane NXT recently announced the launch of a new brand identity: Crane Authentication. This unified brand consolidates the strengths of recently acquired De La Rue Authentication, the Smart Packaging assets of TruTag Technologies, and OpSec Security (purchased last year). Crane NXT now comprises two segments: Security and Authentication Technologies (which includes Crane Currency and Crane Authentication) and Crane Payment Innovations.

Crane NXT recently announced the launch of a new brand identity: Crane Authentication. This unified brand consolidates the strengths of recently acquired De La Rue Authentication, the Smart Packaging assets of TruTag Technologies, and OpSec Security (purchased last year). Crane NXT now comprises two segments: Security and Authentication Technologies (which includes Crane Currency and Crane Authentication) and Crane Payment Innovations.

In the Authentication & Brand News™ March 2024 article 'Decoding Georgia Bills - No to QR Codes Yes to Watermark', we updated the usage of security features in ballot paper. We are now informed of developments in Mohave County, as it approved adding security features to its ballot paper for the 2026 midterm elections to restore voter trust.

Efforts to combat counterfeiting have traditionally relied on visual markers such as holograms, micro text, and invisible inks, but advanced replication technologies are increasingly challenging these measures.

This month, we sat down with the new Chair of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), Tim McIntyre of Canadian Bank Note Company Limited, to discuss his background, his thoughts on the industry and how he plans to support an evolution of ITSA to take a more agile and proactive leadership position within the field of tax stamps and traceability.

Holographic features have long played a vital role in optical document security—grabbing attention, signaling authenticity, and giving visual verification. But as design trends shift and digital solutions take a larger role, it’s time to reassess their impact.

Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) achieved record revenue in 2024, continuing its growth trajectory.

India has recently rolled back key measures for pharmaceutical traceability – possibly due to the increasingly widespread copying of genuine QR codes onto counterfeit drugs.

While pharmaceutical packaging safeguards, such as barcodes, QR codes, and serialization, are now standard requirements under regulations like the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) and US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), these measures have proven ineffective in preventing counterfeiting, if used alone.

Crane NXT has announced the formation of a new business unit called 'Crane Authentication' within its recently established Security and Authentication Technologies segment. This move comes as part of its completion of the acquisition of De La Rue Authentication Solutions, which it made in October 2024 for £300 million.

As sustainability gains momentum, recycling alone is no longer enough. The circular economy promotes reuse, repair, and recycling to reduce waste and keep resources in use longer. But as recycled products go mainstream, challenges arise – especially the risk of greenwashing and fake or mislabelled goods claiming to be eco-friendly.

LEONHARD KURZ, a global player in security and surface finishing technologies, has announced the integration of its subsidiary SCRIBOS, a digital platform provider, under a new unified brand identity—KURZ SCRIBOS.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, has partnered with Zebra Technologies, a global leader in digitising and automating frontline workflows, to create solutions that address product verification, authenticity, and trust challenges.

As overt security technologies (OST) evolve beyond traditional holography, Dr Mark Deakes, chair of the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA), considers integrated optical solutions taking centre stage. These OSTs are becoming vital to banknotes, identity security, product authentication and brand protection – offering robust, sustainable defences against the growing threat of illicit activities.

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2025 report, ‘Country Experiences on Implementation of Traceability for Medical Products’, highlights the uneven progress in global traceability efforts for medicines and vaccines. Drawing on survey responses from WHO member states, the report cites insufficient technological knowledge and capabilities as the biggest barriers to implementing traceability systems.

A scientific report appearing in nature. com1 introduces a novel, non-cloneable, chipless RFID tag, created out of the cork of a bottle, for authenticating the wine, liquor, oil, or other liquid product contained in that bottle.

The recent Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ (TSTF) has been hailed by some as the best TSTF ever. Yet, the overall number of delegates in attendance (170) was low compared to previous events (over 200). So, why was this 12th edition deemed so successful? Let’s take a look.

Following its 7th Annual General Meeting, held in April 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa – on the occasion of the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ – the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new chairman, and the re-election of two directors, as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of its founding.

Last month, we spoke to the CEO of Quantum Base, a new International Tax Stamp Association member that brings quantum technology to traditional printing techniques to create virtually uncounterfeitable tax stamps. This month, we’re diving deeper into this technology and exploring how it could revolutionise revenue collection and traceability.

During the 2025 Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, Francis Tuffy of Reconnaissance International chaired a panel discussion on the role of physical security features in an increasingly digital landscape, where artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing (QC) are coming to the fore.

In March, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) hosted an eight-member delegation from Malawi’s tax authority, for a five- day tax stamp benchmarking visit.

Linstrom Marangu, Health Tax Specialist from the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), has confirmed his participation at the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum, which takes place from 7-9 April in Cape Town, South Africa.

This month, we have a new entry in our ongoing interview series revealing the industry insider insights of International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members.

The revised and updated international standard for tax stamps has passed through an important stage in its formal adoption by ISO (International Organization for Standards), advancing from a Working Draft to a Committee Draft. The standard provides guidance and best practice recommendations to revenue authorities, but is also relevant to suppliers as it will help them appreciate the approach of their actual or potential customers.

India is currently facing regulatory uncertainty around authentication and traceability regulations. While on one hand it recently amended its Central Goods & Services Tax (CGST) Act to allow for the introduction of tobacco traceability, on the other hand it has rolled back key measures for pharmaceuticals – possibly due to the increasingly widespread copying of genuine QR codes for track and trace onto counterfeit drugs.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan has announced that the NBR is considering introducing QR codes on tobacco tax stamps.

The alcohol industry has warned that an increase in South Africa’s excise taxes will drive even more financially pressured consumers towards the already substantial black market.

In March, the tobacco industry launched an extensive media campaign, making exaggerated claims about the illegal cigarette trade in Pakistan and advocating for tax reductions. This campaign has been widely publicised, attempting to paint a picture of rampant illicit trade in the cigarette market, allegedly causing significant revenue losses to the government. However, the data and methodologies used to support these claims appear to be misleading, creating an inflated perception of the extent of the problem.

UK-based chip company Pragmatic Semiconductor has announced the launch of its latest radio frequency identification (RFID) near-field communication (NFC) product line, Pragmatic NFC Connect.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has completed two pilot projects to test its ‘Authentic View’ blockchain infrastructure, which is designed to combat counterfeiting.

A new method for combating whisky refill fraud has been developed by combining molecular science with blockchain technology.

At the beginning of 2024, All4Labels, one of the world’s largest label manufacturers, launched a subsidiary called Integritag, as part of its expansion into brand protection and smart packaging.

In the February 2024 edition of Authentication & Brand News™, we examined how David Beckham, the celebrated former England footballer, was intensifying efforts against counterfeit manufacturers illicitly selling fake products – including clothing and fragrances – under his brand. This article looks at the latest organisations to have adopted near-field communication (NFC) technology for authenticating sporting apparel and memorabilia.

With more than 700 years of history, the Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda (INCM) – also known as the Portuguese mint and national press – is committed to enhancing its role as a progressive, globally engaged organisation through a strategic focus on innovation, collaboration, and expansion. Its recent initiatives and partnerships demonstrate a strong dedication to providing high-security, technology-driven solutions for both domestic and international markets.

Europol’s EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (EU- SOCTA) 20251, published in March, reveals how the very DNA of crime is shifting – adapting to a world shaped by global instability, digitalisation and emerging technologies, and no longer bound by traditional structures.

Registration is now open for the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference, which will be held in Warsaw from 15-17 September 2025.

At the recent World Money Fair (WMF), Germania Mint unveiled a special release coin featuring Black Light Colours technology.

François-Charles Oberthur group, a global leader in banknote printing, security solutions and technologies, has partnered with Giriraj Foils, a well-respected name in India's high-security films, stamping foils and laminates, to deliver advanced authentication solutions tailored for the Indian market.

Located in Lancaster University, UK, Quantum Base (QB) has announced its intention to list on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in April 2025. The company aims to raise between £3 million and £5 million through a placing and retail offer to support product development and commercial expansion, joining the growing number of quantum technology companies advancing their authentication solutions.

The Authentication Solution Providers' Association (ASPA) hosted the sixth edition of the Traceability and Authentication Forum in New Delhi on March 17-18. The event emphasised the need for stronger anti-counterfeiting laws and an increased use of authentication and traceability tools.

Linstrom Marangu, Health Tax Specialist from the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), has confirmed his participation at the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum, which takes place from 7-9 April in Cape Town, South Africa.

At the recent High Security Printing™ EMEA conference in Basel, Switzerland, Dr Alexander Brannan from the University of Manchester, and Gary Spinks of Security Fibres UK, presented advances in colour-changing smart materials designed for rapid authentication. This technology addresses key issues in anticounterfeiting by integrating academic research with industrial application.

As Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, puts it, 'Your smartphone is now your passport, your bank, and your key to the digital world', There is no doubt about its increasing usage in our lives. In the authentication industry, smartphones are also important in facilitating the digital authentication of banknotes, identity and tax stamps. The authentication industry integrates digital security features that link high-security printing with the digital world. This article explores several recent innovations.

At the recent High Security Printing™ EMEA conference in Basel, Switzerland, Dr Alexander Brannan from the University of Manchester, and Gary Spinks of Security Fibres UK, presented advances in colour-changing smart materials designed for rapid authentication. This technology addresses key issues in anticounterfeiting by integrating academic research with industrial application.

Across the tax stamp and traceability sector, several concurrent technologies are forcing change: digitisation, the impact of AI, and the prospect of quantum computing. There is no doubt that, individually, these technologies offer convenience and efficiency, but should we be concerned about the interplay between them and whether they could lead to a new set of threats?

Oman has announced changes to the implementation timeframe and scope for extending its tax stamp and digital traceability programme to excisable drinks.

The authors of the third edition of Tax Stamps & Traceability: A Market Analysis and Technical Update (TSR 3), published by Reconnaissance International in 2020, estimated that there were then ‘about 80 prime contractors for tax stamp programmes around the world’, of which 50 were commercial organisations and 30 state-owned enterprises. Those state-owned entities mainly supplied their own country’s tax stamp requirements, but many were also operating commercially on the open market, albeit primarily supplying regional neighbours.

On 27 February 2025, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its entry into force.

Tax stamps have been around since the late 17th century and were originally embossed or impressed on products or documents. Today, they have evolved from simple adhesive labels into sophisticated tools that play a crucial role in revenue protection and tax compliance.

Further to our announcement last month of the speakers signed up for this year’s Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, from 7-9 April in Cape Town, South Africa, the programme has now been finalised.

Two cannabis businesses in the Canadian province of Alberta – Token Naturals and Plantlife Cannabis – together with US technology company Metrc, are launching a pilot project in Alberta to improve the transparency and safety of cannabis products.

The American Lung Association (ALA) has called for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to propose and finalise regulations to implement track and trace technology on all tobacco products to prevent illicit trade, including counterfeiting and smuggling activities.

If you only read media reports, it would be easy to assume that the most significant advances in identity document security stem from digital innovation, with biometric verification, blockchain-based identity management, and digital certificates dominating discussions.

The global security print landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, and, in its wake, there are two extremes of skills shortage.

The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) has been approved as a liaison organisation to the CEN- CENELEC technical committee responsible for developing EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) standards.

With sales of vinyl records rocketing in recent years, it was inevitable that counterfeiters would enter the market to try to make a fast buck – and a recently published US patent describes one way to fight back, reports SecuringIndustry.com

If you have ever lived in or visited China, you will undoubtedly be familiar with the iconic Moutai brand. However, outside of China, it remains largely unknown. Still, in 2024, Moutai’s brand value rose to $50.1 billion, making it the world’s most valuable spirit for the ninth consecutive year, according to Brand Finance.

Crane NXT has secured its first micro- optics contract through the OpSec Security channel with a luxury perfume brand.

Anti-Counterfeiting News, Product Protection News, Brand Protection News… these were some of the titles that we dreamed up when we decided to launch Reconnaissance’s second newsletter, as our first, Holography News®, was increasingly reporting the security uses of holograms.

Researchers in China have developed a non-petroleum film for packaging applications that can extend the shelf life of foods, show when spoilage has occurred, and has fluorescent properties that could be used as an anticounterfeit feature.

In a LinkedIn post, Luminescence Sun Chemical Security (LSCS) has announced it is a major contributor to protecting the revenue of Türkiye’s deposit return scheme (DRS) on single-use beverage containers, through its security solutions and the logistical support of Sun Chemical Türkiye.

After years of inconsistent demand, Applied DNA Sciences (ADNAS) has decided to discontinue its DNA tagging and security services business. This decision is part of a broader restructuring effort that includes a 20% reduction in workforce, mainly in the DNA tagging segment.

The programme for this year’s Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ (from 7-9 April in Cape Town, South Africa) has been released, with some important themes on the agenda. This article describes some of these themes, which will be presented as workshops, standalone papers or panel discussions.

Marked by key acquisitions - 2024 will be remembered for significant consolidation in the authentication industry (see ABN, Nov 2024). While mergers and acquisitions are good for growth, so are technical collaboration and partnerships combining and complementing each other's expertise to create more substantial authentication features, technologies, and systems. The article views recent developments in this light.

The US Postal Service (USPS) has introduced a newly redesigned money order with a red, white, and blue colour palette and enhanced security features.

In India, cigarettes are expected to be among the first products to be brought under a track and trace mechanism aimed at curbing tax evasion, following amendments to the Central Goods & Services Tax (GST) Act. Pan masala (a popular chewing mixture) may also be included in the initiative.

In the February 2024 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we described how the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) had submitted recommendations1 for a secure and interoperable implementation of the EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) to the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC).

Hong Kong’s new Commissioner of Customs and Excise Chan Tsz-tat has announced that a tax stamp system for tobacco could be introduced in the third quarter of 2026 at the earliest, with a pilot scheme set for mid-2025.

One of the features in the final issue of Tobacco Reporter, published in December 2024, described how the Belarusian tobacco industry has been shrouded in secrecy for over a decade.

Following a competitive tender, Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts (SKSC) has been awarded a contract by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners – the Irish government agency responsible for customs and excise – to supply tobacco tax stamps, in the wake of tax increases introduced in 2024 and 2025.

As we enter the new year, the question on our readers’ minds is: what are the significant developments that will shape the industry over the coming 12 months? We asked members of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) to share their perspectives on what could define the year ahead, with predictions covering technological innovations, market expansions and evolving sustainability priorities.

While we are used to seeing informative and dynamic presentations of banknote designs and security features on central bank websites, imagine our surprise when we came across a presentation of tobacco authentication labels on the Swedish Public Health Agency site!

As illicit trade becomes more advanced, how do governments protect their revenues, citizens, and natural resources?

Two independent studies point to the fact that cigarette smokers in Uruguay still prefer illicit cigarettes.

The programme for this year’s Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum (from 7-9 April in Cape Town, South Africa) is shaping up nicely, with some important themes on the agenda. This article describes some of these themes, which will be presented as workshops, standalone papers or panel discussions.

John Anderson, Chairman of the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group until last year, died in early January after a difficult illness.

Being unique is something we value in people, products, and even security. When something is so unique that it can’t be copied, it becomes a powerful tool to fight counterfeiting. Researchers are now creating unclonable patterns – designs that in theory can’t be reproduced – to protect products and prove they’re genuine.

In April 2024, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) launched a pilot programme to implement a ‘unique electronic ID’ code on drugs and medical consumables, enabling comprehensive traceability across the supply chain.

This article looks at the newly created, massive illicit market in vapor products originating mainly from China and sold in the United States. Despite being banned in both countries, brands like Elf Bar, Geek Bar, and Lost Mary continue to circulate. What’s more, they carry authentication labels that falsely suggest legitimacy, further exacerbating illicit trade.

At the recent CES 2025 consumer electronics event in Las Vegas, two companies, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and Linxens, unveiled their new smart label solutions, marking a significant advance in brand protection and supply chain integrity.

International security technology group Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) has launched the G+D Smart Label, a second-generation tracking solution that transforms any package into an IoT (Internet of Things) device.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its 2024 Review of Notorious Markets, highlighting the global online and physical markets for trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.

There is a common belief that traceability solutions alone will eliminate counterfeiting and simplify product authentication. However, while item-level traceability enhances product transparency, the most commonly adopted technologies come with vulnerabilities, especially in terms of authentication.

As the new year begins, it’s an ideal time to look at forthcoming events in authentication, security printing, tax stamps, and brand protection.