On September 22, 2025, the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) announced its New Family Banknotes Series in the denominations of BND1, BND5, BND10, BND100 and BND500, scheduled to enter circulation in the first half of 2026.

The new banknotes have a visual design and color palette similar to the notes currently in circulation. The familiar images include portraits of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei (on the 1 thru 100 denominations) and Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien, the previous Sultan and father of the current Sultan of Brunei (on the new 500), as well as national symbols and icons. Thus, the new banknotes will remain recognizable and familiar to the public, preserving their strong national identity and heritage.

 

 

The new series is printed on the GUARDIAN™ polymer substrate. Upgraded security features, designed to fight against counterfeiting, include:

 

- Prominent transparent windows on the left containing cameo images of the Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque (on the 1, 5 and 100) or the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque (on the 10 and 100).
- Small windows on the right in the shape of a bunga tabor (or a daun lukut on the 500).
- A combination of two color-shifting inks (AURORA™) that create dynamic effects. Tilt the note and the edges of the window will color shift between different colors per denomination. A traditional pattern in the large window will also color shift.
- VIVID White™ and ultraviolet elements (serial numbers, the national crest, a hidden BDCB logo, the text "Brunei Darussalam Central Bank" and other elements), visible under UV light and infrared cameras.
- METALIX™ (metallic ink): When tilted, a metallic color sheen in the shape of a vertical pattern appears on the right side of the note (different color sheens per denomination).
- Sicpa's SPARK® Live Sandune effect: A color-shifting pattern in the shape of a bunga jambangan (or a calak kuya) that changes between different colors per denomination.

 

The above security features can be examined in detail per denomination on the official BDCB site:

 

 

A new DOMINO™ feature on the upcoming banknote series assists the visually impaired. This feature consists of raised dots found in the lower right corner of each new banknote, with each denomination displaying a unique arrangement to help people easily identify them.

 

In addition, the new series reaffirms Brunei Darussalam's official unit of currency according to the Currency Order of 2004, that is, the "dollar." The term "ringgit" has been replaced with "Brunei Dollars" on all denominations. This change aims to strengthen public familiarity and encourage wider adoption of the term.

 

BDCB has reassured the public that all existing banknotes in circulation will remain legal tender and will continue to circulate alongside the New Family Banknotes Series.

 

It is interesting to note that no new 50-dollar and no new 1000-dollar banknote have been announced. One can infer that Brunei's yellow 50 will continue to circulate and that Brunei's current 1000-dollar banknote will most likely follow the fate of Singapore's 1000-dollar banknote and be removed from circulation in the not too distant future.