FRANKFURT, March 17 — A new note for the euro zone.

If for many there, it's an old friend — the €50 (RM240) note is the most popular and represents 45 per cent of all euro bank notes in circulation.

This updated version has upgraded security features to keep it safe, including a distinct "shimmer.”

Carl-Ludwig Thiele, a Bundesbank director, says: "If you move the bank note, it glistens from emerald green to deep blue. People already know this from the €20 bank note, the €10 bill and the five.”

The German Central Bank (Bundesbank) presents the new €50 (RM240) banknote at its headquarters in Frankfurt, March 16, 2017. — Reuters pic

It comes when some of the shine is returning to the euro zone.

Recent data pointing the way up — even if questions have been raised about the future of the single currency itself.

Senior market analyst Jasper Lawler says: "The euro zone's been in a steady pace of recovery for a number of years now and it's accelerated this year. And that is largely because of the very accommodative monetary policy and a number of years in which we haven't seen a really big shock since really the euro zone debt crisis. So confidence is picking up, but I would still say it's fragile.”

But with ECB money printing in full spate, this note itself should have a future.

That is if the security features work...

As the most popular note, it"s also the most counterfeited euro zone note of them all. — Reuters