German Banking Giant Sparkassen Plans to Offer Crypto Trading by 2026

German banking giant Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe is preparing to offer crypto trading services to its more than 50 million customers by the summer of 2026, Bloomberg reported on Monday. The move marks a major change for the institution, which previously avoided crypto services due to concerns over volatility and risk.

Dekabank, a Sparkassen-owned bank already involved in crypto initiatives, has been selected to manage the new crypto services through the Sparkasse app, providing customers with access to regulated crypto trading. 

“The Savings Banks Finance Group will provide reliable access to a regulated crypto offering,” the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) stated, adding that the crypto service responds to growing customer demand and aligns with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which came into force last December.

Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, comprising over 500 companies, including more than 370 savings banks, oversees more than €2.5 trillion ($2.9 trillion) in assets under management, positioning it as a significant player in Germany’s financial landscape.

A Cautious Entry Amid High Customer Demand

While the decision reflects a clear shift, the DSGV emphasized that cryptocurrencies remain highly speculative investments, and the bank will not actively advertise the service. Instead, customers will be informed about the associated risks, including the “potential for total loss.”

Sparkassen had blocked crypto purchases for customers in 2015 and ruled out crypto services for years before reversing its stance. The decision comes as other German banks begin to explore crypto integration to meet customer demand and adapt to evolving financial systems.

Filipp Bolotov, founder and CEO of ERA Labs, described Sparkassen’s move as a “big step for mainstream adoption,” while crypto venture capitalist Kyle Chasse commented that “banks are catching up” as the market evolves.

German Banks Accelerate Crypto Adoption

Other major German financial institutions have also started embracing crypto. DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest financial institution, launched a crypto pilot service with Boerse Stuttgart Digital in September 2024 and plans to roll out crypto trading and custody services across its cooperative bank network.

Last year, Germany’s largest federal bank, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, announced plans to offer crypto custody services to institutional clients in partnership with Bitpanda. Industry executives predict more banks will follow, with Eric Turner of Messari and Thomas Eichenberger of Sygnum Bank stating that banks are likely to deepen crypto offerings in late 2025 as regulations mature.

Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, recently commented that banks risk extinction within a decade if they do not adapt to crypto, reflecting a broader industry sentiment that crypto integration is becoming necessary for financial institutions globally.