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European Central Bank Ditches €500 Note Over Financial Crime Concerns

By Irene Madongo

The Eurozone's central bank will discontinue its issuance of the €500 note by the end of 2018 in light of allegations that criminals have exploited the bill to transfer illicit value. In a statement Wednesday, the European Central Bank (ECB) said the discontinuance of the banknote's production would be permanent and timed to coincide with the introduction of new €100 and €200 notes. The decision comes on the heels of the European Commission's announcement in February that it would assess whether to take additional steps to prevent the misuse of the €500 bill. "We took seriously the concerns raised by...

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