Euro banknote survey: 9.96 million people

The ECB's public survey on the ten finalists closed on 21 September with 9.96 million responses. That is 2.6% of the euro area population. The design decision is expected around the end of 2026, and the new banknotes should enter circulation gradually from the early 2030s.

In short

The survey ran from 23 July to 21 September 2026 on the two themes “European culture” and “Rivers and birds”.
The ECB is not publishing results for individual designs; it will show them after the Governing Council's decision.
Current banknotes remain valid and will circulate alongside the new series.

Checked on1 October 2026Responsible editorTsvetelin IvanovHow we workMethod · Corrections

Nine million nine hundred and sixty thousand people. More people than live in some euro area countries sat down to say how their money should look.

The most interesting thing in the number is who voted. Two thirds of the responses came from people under 35.

The facts: on 23 September 2026 the ECB reported that 9.96 million people in Europe and beyond completed its public survey on the design of future euro banknotes. That is 2.6% of the euro area population, and two thirds of responses came from people under 35. The survey ran from 23 July to 21 September 2026 and asked about ten shortlisted designs on the themes “European culture” and “Rivers and birds”. Separately, an independent research company is running the same survey on a representative sample, which is being finalised. The results of the two surveys, the recommendations of the independent jury and a technical assessment will inform the ECB Governing Council's choice of the final design concept, expected around the end of 2026. Results for individual designs are not being published at this stage. The new banknotes should enter circulation gradually from the early 2030s, and current ones remain valid.

Why so many young people? The ECB does not explain. Our guess is that for them a banknote is more a symbol than a payment, and everyone has an opinion about a symbol.

There may be less money in the wallet. Opinions about how it should look are not shrinking.

The next date is the end of the year. That is when we learn which of the two themes won, and whether the survey carried weight or was just well-staged participation.

The backstory In July the ECB launched the survey with ten designs and two themes - our story from 23 July.

The visual is generated code art. No third-party images.

Almost 10 million people said how the new euro banknotes should look, two thirds of them under 35

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