Germany’s savings banks have formally entered the cryptocurrency trading business, with the first participating institutional clients now able to buy and sell Bitcoin and other digital assets directly through the group’s existing official app, according to confirmation from the German Savings Banks and Giro Association, or DSGV.
The trading service is supported by Dekabank, the savings banks’ securities service provider. Crypto custody is being handled jointly with the Stuttgart Stock Exchange. The initial list of supported assets includes Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana and Polygon.
Trading goes live in the existing app with a €0.99 fee per order
The service charges €0.99 for each order. Clients are also not required to link a traditional securities account. The report said the pricing clearly positions the product against mobile-first banks such as N26 and Trade Republic.
There will be no single nationwide launch date. Each savings bank will decide on its own when to make the service available, based on its local timetable.
DSGV expects 30 to 40 institutions to join each month
DSGV management board member Joachim Schmalzl said interest inside the group is high. He said 30 to 40 institutions are expected to come on board every month, with the aim of covering most interested savings banks by the first half of 2027.
Schmalzl said the product is designed for clients who want to trade and custody crypto assets on their own. The savings banks will not offer investment advice, and they do not plan broad active marketing in the early stage.
Group keeps a cautious tone on crypto risk
German savings banks have long taken a cautious view of cryptocurrencies because of their sharp volatility. Schmalzl said the decision to enter the market followed careful consideration. He identified two decisive factors: strong customer demand and what he described as a reliable regulatory framework now in place in Europe. The stated goal is to allow clients with a clear intention to trade in a regulated and compliant environment.
Even so, DSGV kept a guarded tone in its statement, repeating that cryptocurrencies are 「highly speculative assets」 and saying clients will be explicitly warned about severe price swings and the risk of losing their entire investment.
The banks also said that for long-term wealth building among the broader public, traditional securities investing, savings plans and financial advice remain their core business.
