Germany’s Sparkassen Group Prepares Crypto Trading Option for Customers
Germany’s Sparkassen, the country’s public savings bank network, is planning to introduce cryptocurrency trading for its retail customers, Bloomberg reports.
The banking group, whose history dates back to the first savings bank founded in Hamburg in 1778, plans to offer individuals the ability to trade digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum directly through its mobile banking apps. The service will be launched through its securities platform, DekaBank, and is expected to be available by summer 2026.
Earlier in the year, DekaBank launched crypto trading and custody solutions for institutional clients, signaling a broader move to incorporate digital assets into traditional banking services.
The German Savings Bank Association (DSGV) is said to be in support of the project, citing growing demand from customers and clearer regulatory guidelines under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR).
Matthias Diessl, president of the Bavarian Savings Banks, previously advocated for enabling customers to trade cryptocurrencies—a significant departure from Sparkassen’s more cautious stance in the past. Just three years ago, an internal working group advised against allowing retail clients to trade digital assets.
Nevertheless, the DSGV still considers crypto investments highly speculative and remains cautious, even as interest in digital assets among customers continues to rise.
