The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) issued a new banknote of AED1000 denomination, made of polymer for circulation in the market. The new banknote will be available at banks and exchange houses starting from 10 April 2023.

In the design of the new banknote, the CBUAE was keen to highlight the success story of the UAE, using images along with cultural and development symbols that reflect the pioneering global achievements of the UAE, which boosted its position amongst developed countries in a record time. The design of the new banknote embodies the forward-looking vision and ambitions that has become a reality for the UAE as a leader in space exploration.

The distinctive aesthetic characteristic of this banknote lies in the different shades of brown used which preserves the colour characteristics of the same denomination banknote currently in circulation to make it easy for the public to identify, in addition to the fluorescent blue marks of the UAE nation brand in the centre, and drawings and inscriptions created using advanced intaglio printing techniques.

Security and Design Features

The front side of the new banknote depicts the image of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, next to a model of a space shuttle, inspired by his meeting with the pioneers of the American space agency NASA in 1974.

This ambition was achieved in the Emirates Mars Mission “Hope Probe” journey in 2021, and it was embodied in the new banknote by placing an image of the “Emirates Mission to Explore Mars – the Hope Probe” at the top of the space shuttle, and the image of an astronaut added as a security mark that appears on the front side of the banknote, to express the arrival of the first Emirati astronaut to the space.

The back of the new banknote features an image of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Abu Dhabi, which will play a key role in diversifying energy sources in the country and reduce carbon emissions.

To enhance consumers’ confidence and to combat counterfeiting of the national currency, the new banknote features advanced security features that include modern technologies such as SPARK Flow® DIMENSIONS, which is used for the first time in banknotes circulated in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Furthermore, the UAE is the first in the MENA region to issue the largest multi-coloured KINEGRAM® surface applied foil stripe in the new banknote issue.

In addition to the distinct visual effects in terms of security and design, the CBUAE added prominent symbols in Braille to help blind and visually impaired consumers to identify the banknote’s value. The new banknote will be in circulation alongside the current AED1000 note whose value is guaranteed by the UAE law.

The CBUAE coordinated directly with ATM operating companies in the UAE to reprogram the dedicated ATM machines to accept the new banknote.

Recently, the CBUAE won the ‘Best New Banknote’ award for its new AED1000 banknote characterised by unique designs, technical characteristics, and innovative security features at the regional level for the year 2023. This was announced during the annual awards ceremony for Banknote and ID Document of the Year Awards, which was held on the sideline of the High Security Printing EMEA conference in Abu Dhabi.

On this occasion, H.E. Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the CBUAE, said: “The issuance of this new banknote, which is printed using eco-friendly polymer material, is aligned with the leadership’s declaration of 2023 as the Year of Sustainability, and embodies the features of the new phase that the UAE has begun in its developmental journey and ambitious future. The new banknote features unique technical characteristics to keep pace with global standards and technologies with the aim of making the dirham an international currency used worldwide.”