Are ₹500 notes going to be banned? Know the new safety rules of 2026 and the complete truth of viral claims: – ..

News India Live, Digital Desk: For the last few days, a message is becoming increasingly viral on social media and WhatsApp in which it is being claimed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will stop the circulation of ₹ 500 notes by March 2026. This news has created huge confusion among the general public. However, the government and PIB Fact Check refuted these claims completely Fake Have agreed.

Know here what are the actual instructions of RBI and what are the new updates regarding the security of the notes held with you:

Social media claim vs reality

Claim: “RBI will demonetize ₹500 notes after March 2026 and their withdrawal from ATMs will stop.”

reality: The Central Government and RBI have clarified that there is no such plan. ₹500 and ₹100 notes completely Legal Tender Will remain. RBI has advised citizens not to pay attention to such rumors without official confirmation.

RBI’s ‘Security Update’ for 2026 (Security Features)

RBI periodically updates the security features in the existing notes to curb counterfeit currency. The main focus of RBI in the year 2026 is to further strengthen the following features:

Color Changing Ink (Optically Variable Ink): The color of the digits written on ₹500 and ₹100 notes changes from ‘green’ to ‘blue’ when the note is tilted. Work is going on to make it more advanced.

Intaglio Printing: Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait, Ashoka Pillar and bleed lines can be ‘felt’ to help visually impaired people.

Micro Lettering: ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ are written in fine letters on the notes, which can be seen only with a magnifying glass.

New Security Thread: ‘Bharat’ and ‘RBI’ are written on the window thread present in the ₹500 note, which changes color when seen in light.

How to identify fake notes? (Quick Check List)

According to RBI, these 3 things must be seen to identify the genuine note:

Watermark: When held in front of light, Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait and denomination (500/100) are visible.

Number Panel: The size of the numbers on the top left and bottom right increases from small to large.

See-through register: The digits of the denomination (500) fit perfectly over each other in the blank portion of the note.