Germany’s DZ Bank, the country’s second-largest lender by assets, has secured regulatory approval to offer retail cryptocurrency trading under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. The license, granted by Germany’s financial regulator BaFin, allows the Frankfurt-based bank to launch meinKrypto, a digital asset trading platform designed for individual customers of cooperative banks.
The platform will be integrated into the VR Banking App, which is widely used by Germany’s Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken. DZ Bank said the rollout will begin shortly, enabling participating cooperative banks to offer crypto trading directly to retail clients. The service will initially support trading in major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, and Cardano.
Expansion Beyond Institutional Crypto Services
DZ Bank’s approval marks a shift from its earlier focus on institutional crypto services toward broader retail adoption. In 2024, the lender partnered with Boerse Stuttgart Digital to provide crypto infrastructure for professional and institutional clients. The meinKrypto platform extends those capabilities to private investors, reflecting growing confidence among traditional banks following the implementation of MiCA.
The service is aimed at self-directed retail investors and will not be integrated into advisory or wealth management offerings. Customers will be able to trade and custody digital assets entirely within the existing banking app, reducing reliance on external crypto exchanges. Cooperative banks must still apply individually for MiCA-related notifications before activating the service for their customers.
According to DZ Bank, the platform was developed specifically for the cooperative banking sector, allowing local institutions to offer crypto services without building proprietary infrastructure. This model mirrors broader European banking trends, where shared platforms are being used to manage compliance costs and operational complexity under new digital asset regulations.
Regulatory Clarity and Market Demand
MiCA has become a key catalyst for crypto adoption among European banks by establishing uniform licensing, custody, and consumer protection standards across the bloc. Germany has emerged as one of the most active markets under the framework, with several large financial institutions accelerating digital asset strategies since the rules came into force.
Interest from cooperative banks appears substantial. A September 2025 study by Genoverband found that more than 71% of Germany’s cooperative banks are considering offering crypto services to private customers. This demand reflects increasing client interest in digital assets, as well as competitive pressure from fintech platforms that already provide crypto trading alongside traditional financial services.
DZ Bank’s move positions the cooperative sector to compete more directly with online brokers and crypto-native firms while maintaining regulatory oversight and established customer relationships. It also underscores a broader normalization of crypto within Europe’s banking system, where digital assets are increasingly treated as standard financial instruments rather than experimental products.
While DZ Bank has not disclosed transaction fees or long-term expansion plans, the approval suggests that retail crypto trading is becoming a core component of banking strategies under MiCA. The rollout will be closely watched as a test case for how effectively traditional banks can integrate crypto services at scale.
