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

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.