As we conclude 2025, we reflect on a year that transformed the OVDs sector. Our pages highlighted breakthroughs, bold ideas, and the expanding critical role of OVDs across various sectors. The industry advanced rapidly, and your engagement helped us follow this development with clarity and purpose.
2025 delivered some of the diverse and ambitious product launches we have covered. Innovations spanned holography, micro-optics, nano-optics, plasmonics, and new materials. Companies focused on stronger integration, collaboration, sustainability, and scalable manufacturing.
Key launches
- TOPPAN’s colour Illumigram™, redefining phygital OVD authentication with normal mobile light.
- IDEMIA’s thermo-reactive liquid crystal ink, a patented colour-shift breakthrough.
- IN Groupe’s ‘Phoenix’, the latest evolution of the DID™ Alphagram™ laminate.
- Covestro Autentium – a next-generation polymer substrate for banknotes.
- Q&T’s POLYSECURE® SHIELD, embedding OVDs into polymer substrates.
- De La Rue’s optical express label series (OELS) for rapid brand authentication.
- H010’s dual-QR hybrid hologram, merging physical and digital authentication.
- Crane’s cBREEZE™ and PROFOUND®TruSpectrum™, strengthening microoptic capability.
- Rolling Optics (Oberthur subsidiary) Fidaro™, adding more micro-optics choices for brand protection.
- Oberthur’s Kryptonome, deepening investment in optical watermark science.
- Radiant Opto-Electronics’ acquisition of NILT reshaped micro-optics production.
- Sanyo Chemical’s HILUCIS enables nano-imprint resins for AR/VR applications.
- IQ Structures Number 1 based on freeform nano DOVIDs.
- Authentix PICO secure™, a major advance in nano-optics plasmonic structures and many others.
Sustainability gained new momentum through hydro powered manufacturing, eco-friendly foils, and material-efficient optical platforms.
Market shifts and industry developments
The year saw major structural shifts as companies repositioned, expanded, and consolidated to meet rising global demand for high-performance optical technologies.
- Crane Authentication unveiled a renewed brand identity.
- KURZ unified SCRIBOS, combining digital and physical brandprotection platforms.
- De La Rue’s private takeover reshaped the future of the currency-supply chain.
- K Laser Technology opened a major 52,000 m² manufacturing campus in China.
- IN Groupe acquired IDEMIA Smart Identity, scaling its size with a consolidated turnover of more than €1 billion.
- DNP invested in Laxton, strengthening global authentication capability.
- Hueck Folien + IQ Structures expanded their Nanovista partnership.
- Giriraj Foils + Oberthur advanced microoptics capability in India.
- Canpac acquired Shriram Veritech, signalling consolidation in packaging and authentication.
- Lumenco + XRD Nano partnered to industrialise micro-lens brandprotection features.
- Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection + Bosch advanced printedproduct traceability.
- Authentix + KURZ scaled the QUANTUM™ stripe.
- Toppan increased R&D investment, and its new $55 million secure document facility in Ethiopia is near completion. Toppan’s role in Ethiopia is expanding as Ethiopian authorities advance plans for an $85 million digital tax stamp system, in which TOPPAN Gravity is one of the leading participants.
- DNP opened a major R&D centre in Eindhoven, and Toppan Packaging opened a new Lab in Hartsville, South Carolina, to drive further innovation.
- Appotronics + Ceres Holographics accelerated the adoption of HOEs and HUD display systems.
- Crane NXT continued its acquisitions with Antares Vision, expanding into inspection and track-and-trace.
- ZEISS + LG Chem formed a strategic alliance for photopolymer films. ZEISS also partnered with tesa for scaling industrial holography.
- Reconnaissance International rebranded two flagship publications: Holography News™ became Holography & Optical Technology News™. In another development, Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ and Authentication & Brand News™ merged to become Tax Stamp & Authentication News™, reflecting the broader evolution of the industry. Both publications are now entering a new phase of growth, expanding to 12 pages to offer deeper analysis, coverage, and richer insights across technologies and markets.
- Reconnaissance also launched DataVault™, the sector’s first dedicated, searchable online database of banknotes and coins.
OVDs adoption across the sectors
OVD adoption accelerated across banknotes, identity documents, tax stamps, and brandprotection programmes.
New banknotes and commemoratives from Argentina, Mauritius, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Kenya, Armenia, the Bahamas, Belize, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Bolivia, Tajikistan, Bhutan, and others introduced advanced optical features across paper and polymer substrates.
Identity documents have also advanced.
Japan, Iceland, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, the Netherlands, and several US states adopted OVDs with improved designs as per ICAO and other regulatory guidelines. Nepal also reveals plans to use ePassports featuring CLIP ID technology, starting in spring 2026.
Hong Kong launched its first OVDequipped tax stamp pilot. In brand protection, Pokémon continued using optical security for 30 years, while holographic features help detect counterfeit MABTHERA® in Colombia.
These developments reflect a clear global shift towards high-performance, tamperresistant documents built on trusted optical technologies. The debate over holography’s ‘WOW factor’ re-emerged, yet industry sentiment remained consistent: innovation remains robust, and creativity continues to lead.
Events that shaped 2025
2025 delivered a strong calendar of global events that defined technical direction and strategic momentum.
- CES 2025 in Las Vegas displayed holography’s expanding role in consumer electronics and imaging.
- The Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ in Cape Town reinforced the growing convergence of optical features with trackandtrace and secure digital platforms.
- The Currency Conference in Bangkok provided a global stage for central banks and suppliers to debate substrate evolution, security, durability, and nextgeneration optical features.
- Security Document Summit, in Beijing and Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) at Warsaw helped shape the future direction of phygital IDs.
- Intergraf Currency+Identity in Milan showcased best-in-class design and secure manufacturing.
- High Security Printing™ (HSP) conferences across Asia, EMEA, and Latin America continued to play a role in the industry ecosystem and showcased regional advances in banknotes and identity documents.
Across these events, one message remained consistent: optical technologies continue to expand their influence across physical and digital ecosystem.
A milestone year for IOTA
2025 marked a defining moment for the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA). With a refreshed identity, stronger global engagement, and expanding member benefits, IOTA worked throughout the year to advance the adoption, visibility, and value of optical security technologies worldwide.
- In 2025, it participated in more than ten major events across all continents.
- The IOTA seminars and workshops promoted technical dialogue and knowledge exchange.
- Recognising legacy and innovation, it launched its first Excellence in Optical Technologies Awards, replacing the longstanding Holography Awards.
- This year brought strong and diverse membership growth, further strengthening IOTA’s global footprint. It welcomed new members from across OVIs, substrates, nano-replication, photonic materials, and secure document production, including Karul Holoscience, NanoSilikhan, Satoris, SICPA, TOPTICAL, Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer, and XRD Nano.
- To deliver more value to its members, it expanded the SIR (Secure Image Register), which now includes holographic images and other optically variable devices (OVDs). The SIR’s adoption continues to grow across global government and industry users. More than 490 registrations were completed in 2025 (as of mid-November 2025) – the highest number in the register’s history.
- Patent news – as of 30 September 2025, more than 965 patent information items had been shared with members.
- Next year, it will launch a new service, DocCheck.
Themes that defined 2025
- Integration – merging optical, digital, and material sciences.
- Sustainability – reducing material use and energy consumption.
- Accessibility – opening advanced technologies to wider markets.
- Design freedom – from vertical IDs to hybrid substrates and phygital effects.
- Resilience – strengthening banknotes, excise systems, and brand protection.
- Intelligence – with Reconnaissance launching DataVault™, the first searchable banknote and coin database.
- Certification & standards – major milestones from IN Groupe, NASPS, and SICPA.
- Recognition – optical technologies continued to win global awards.
Thank you all
You helped make 2025 a standout year for HOT News, and we thank all our readers, contributors, and subscribers. Your insights, feedback, and support drive our mission to inform, connect, and inspire the global optical-security community.
May 2026 bring new ideas, fresh collaborations, and stronger innovation across our industry.
With season’s greetings and best wishes.
Chander Jeena
Editor
