Germany's Sparkasse banking network has begun rolling out crypto trading inside its banking app, bringing Bitcoin ($BTC), Ether ($ETH, @ethereum), XRP ($XRP, @XRP), Solana ($SOL, @solana) and
Germany's Sparkasse banking network has begun rolling out crypto trading inside its banking app, bringing Bitcoin ($BTC), Ether ($ETH, @ethereum), XRP ($XRP, @XRP), Solana ($SOL, @solana) and Polygon's POL token ($POL, @0xPolygon) to customers of Europe's largest banking group by assets.
The service went live on October 19, 2026, but access is not yet nationwide. Each local savings bank must switch it on individually, so only customers of participating institutions can use it for now.
The product is called "Krypto, powered by Deka" and is run by DekaBank, the securities house of the Sparkassen group. According to Bloomberg, the rollout will be gradual over the coming months, and each Sparkasse decides on its own whether to offer it. DekaBank handles trade execution and custody. Customers open a separate crypto account with DekaBank inside the app's investing section, and a securities account is not required.
The fee is reported at €0.99 per order. DekaBank's announcement does not detail other costs such as spreads, according to fund research outlet e-fundresearch. Reporting also says the service is aimed at adult, self-directed investors and that no investment advice is given.
Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe is described as the largest financial services group in Germany and Europe by assets. Crypto assets held through the service are not covered by statutory deposit insurance, BeInCrypto notes.
Only a handful of banks were live at launch. More than 230 institutions have reportedly expressed interest, and 30 to 40 additional banks are expected to join each month. Joachim Schmalzl of the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) said it is for each savings bank to decide when to start, according to dpa. The association is aiming for a large share of interested banks to be connected in the first half of 2027.
The move marks a reversal for the group. Bloomberg reports that the Sparkassen long rejected crypto offerings and that its bodies recommended against crypto trading about four years ago because of the risks. The shift was justified by customer demand and a changed regulatory framework.
DekaBank received its licence under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets rules (MiCA) from Germany's BaFin in 2025, which lets it bundle trading, custody and customer support in one place, according to Bloomberg and e-fundresearch.
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