Twin UV®
Banque de France (France) · SICPA (Switzerland)
Type
Machine Readable Pattern (MR-UV) — printed UV-fluorescent security feature using a proprietary combination of two complementary fluorescent materials, designed for Level 2 authentication and high-speed sorting.
Overview
Twin UV® is a printed banknote security feature jointly developed by Banque de France and SICPA, drawing on more than fifteen years of Banque de France R&D in advanced UV fluorescence. It is positioned as a Level 2 (cash handler / sorting machine) authentication element, combining a unique pairing of fluorescent materials to produce a bright, distinctive UV response that is both visually verifiable and optimised for machine reading. Banque de France lists Twin UV® alongside Trilumic® and SEALGN@TURE® as one of its three flagship patented innovations, made available to the wider banknote industry through licensing agreements. Public technical disclosure on the underlying chemistry is deliberately limited; both partners describe the feature in terms of its functional characteristics rather than its formulation.
Technology & Effects
Twin UV® is described by Banque de France as "a unique combination of materials" producing brilliant UV fluorescence. The "twin" designation reflects the use of two complementary fluorescent components engineered to work together — likely a paired-emission system where the spectral or temporal response distinguishes genuine notes from copies and from notes printed with off-the-shelf fluorescent inks. The feature is printed directly onto the banknote rather than incorporated via foils or threads, and is designed to remain stable through circulation. Effect type: MR-UV. Specific emission wavelengths, decay characteristics, and the chemistry of the two-component system are not publicly disclosed; these would be conveyed to issuers under licensing agreement.
Form Factors & Application
Twin UV® is a printed feature, applied during the banknote printing process at the issuer's chosen printing works. Banque de France emphasises that the feature is "easily incorporated into the banknote", indicating compatibility with standard intaglio, offset or screen workflows rather than requiring dedicated equipment. As a SICPA-supplied ink system, it can be deployed by any printer with a SICPA licensing arrangement, including Banque de France's own Chamalières works and external printers. The feature is positioned as suitable for routine integration into new banknote designs and series upgrades.
Security Levels
- Level 1 (public): Bright UV fluorescence visible under standard 365 nm UV illumination, providing a basic public-facing authentication cue when a UV lamp is available.
- Level 2 (cash handler / sorting machine): The feature's primary positioning. The "twin" paired-material emission profile is optimised for high-speed banknote sorting and authentication, providing a machine-readable signature that distinguishes authentic Twin UV® print from generic fluorescent inks. Banque de France explicitly describes Twin UV® as a Level 2 feature.
- Name
- Twin UV®
- Category
- Security Feature
- Effect Types
- Machine readable UV UV
- Companies
- Product Page
- View on Supplier Site
- Linked Features
- 1 security feature