塑质钞票指由聚合物制成的纸币，如聚丙烯（BOPP）。该类钞票可以结合许多在纸质钞票无法实现的防伪措施，例如同色异谱油墨，提高防伪印刷水平。这种钞票的制造成本是纸币的两倍，但是它的寿命却至少有纸币的4倍长。这种钞票适合于那些气候潮湿的国家，因为这些钞票不会因为沾水而破损。其也拥有比纸质钞票更加优越的使用寿命，它可以使到钞票的流通时间增长而不至于撕裂或者破损，以此从而降低对环境的影响，减少生产及更换费用。塑质钞票最早由澳洲储备银行、澳大利亚联邦科学与工业研究组织以及墨尔本大学开发，最先于1988年被澳大利亚所使用，在1996年澳大利亚全部更换为塑质钞票。现在有许多国家或地区正在使用塑质钞票，如今已有9个国家的流通货币已经全部由纸币更换为塑质钞票，佛得角和冈比亚是最新引进塑质钞票进入流通领域的国家。

Polymer banknotes are banknotes made from a polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). Such notes incorporate many security features not available to paper banknotes, including the use of metameric inks; they also last significantly longer than paper notes, resulting in a decrease in environmental impact and a reduction of production and replacement costs. Modern polymer banknotes were first developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and The University of Melbourne. They were first issued as currency in Australia in 1988 (coinciding with that country's bicentennial year). In 1996 Australia switched completely to polymer banknotes. Countries that have since switched completely to polymer banknotes include Brunei, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Vietnam, and Canada. Cape Verde, Chile, The Gambia, Nicaragua, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago and the Maldives are the latest countries to introduce polymer currency notes into circulation.