Germany’s savings banks, or Sparkassen, officially entered the cryptocurrency trading business on Monday, according to confirmation from the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) to the media. An initial group of institutional clients can now buy and sell Bitcoin and other digital assets directly through the banks’ existing official app.
Dekabank supports the service, with custody shared with Stuttgart Stock Exchange
The trading service is supported by Dekabank, the savings banks’ securities services provider. Crypto custody is being handled jointly with the Stuttgart Stock Exchange.
At launch, the service supports Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana and Polygon. The fee is set at €0.99 per order, and users are not required to link a traditional securities account.
According to DSGV, that pricing structure is clearly designed to compete with newer mobile banking platforms such as N26 and Trade Republic.
Rollout timing will be decided by each savings bank
The service does not have a single nationwide launch date. Instead, each savings bank will decide for itself when to go live.
DSGV executive board member Joachim Schmalzl said interest in the product across the group is high. He said 30 to 40 institutions are expected to join each month, with the goal of covering most interested savings banks by the first half of 2027.
Schmalzl also said the product is aimed at clients who want to trade and custody crypto assets on their own. The savings banks will not provide investment advice, and they do not plan broad active marketing in the initial phase.
Association still describes crypto as highly speculative
German savings banks have long taken a cautious stance on cryptocurrencies because of their sharp volatility. Schmalzl said the decision to enter the market came after careful consideration, with strong client demand and the existence of a reliable regulatory framework in Europe serving as the decisive factors.
He said the purpose is to allow clients with a clear interest in crypto trading to do so in a regulated and compliant environment.
Even so, DSGV kept a cautious tone in its statement and repeated that cryptocurrencies are 「highly speculative assets」. Clients will be clearly warned about sharp price swings and the risk of a total loss.
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.
