Marked by key acquisitions - 2024 will be remembered for significant consolidation in the authentication industry (see ABN, Nov 2024). While mergers and acquisitions are good for growth, so are technical collaboration and partnerships combining and complementing each other's expertise to create more substantial authentication features, technologies, and systems. The article views recent developments in this light.

The US Postal Service (USPS) has introduced a newly redesigned money order with a red, white, and blue colour palette and enhanced security features.

John Anderson, Chairman of the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group until last year, died in early January after a difficult illness.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its 2024 Review of Notorious Markets, highlighting the global online and physical markets for trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.

As the new year begins, it’s an ideal time to look at forthcoming events in authentication, security printing, tax stamps, and brand protection.

Being unique is something we value in people, products, and even security. When something is so unique that it can’t be copied, it becomes a powerful tool to fight counterfeiting. Researchers are now creating unclonable patterns – designs that in theory can’t be reproduced – to protect products and prove they’re genuine.

At the recent CES 2025 consumer electronics event in Las Vegas, two companies, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and Linxens, unveiled their new smart label solutions, marking a significant advance in brand protection and supply chain integrity.

This article looks at the newly created, massive illicit market in vapor products originating mainly from China and sold in the United States. Despite being banned in both countries, brands like Elf Bar, Geek Bar, and Lost Mary continue to circulate. What’s more, they carry authentication labels that falsely suggest legitimacy, further exacerbating illicit trade.

There is a common belief that traceability solutions alone will eliminate counterfeiting and simplify product authentication. However, while item-level traceability enhances product transparency, the most commonly adopted technologies come with vulnerabilities, especially in terms of authentication.

International security technology group Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) has launched the G+D Smart Label, a second-generation tracking solution that transforms any package into an IoT (Internet of Things) device.

In April 2024, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) launched a pilot programme to implement a ‘unique electronic ID’ code on drugs and medical consumables, enabling comprehensive traceability across the supply chain.