Catenaa, Wednesday, July 02, 2025- Germany’s largest banking network, Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, is set to introduce cryptocurrency trading services for retail customers, marking a major shift in stance from the institution’s earlier position on digital assets.
The service, according to Bloomberg, is expected to roll out by summer 2026.
The banking group had previously distanced itself from crypto markets, citing volatility and regulatory uncertainty.
However, recent changes in the European Union’s legal landscape under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) appear to have provided Sparkassen with enough regulatory clarity to move forward.
Customers will reportedly gain access to trading in major cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and ether.
Dekabank, a subsidiary of the Sparkassen group already active in crypto asset management, is expected to manage the new crypto offerings.
Executives at Sparkassen had long expressed skepticism toward crypto, calling it “highly speculative.”
The reversal comes as institutional demand grows and MiCA ushers in a more predictable framework for crypto businesses across the EU.
The decision places Sparkassen among the first major European banking institutions to offer digital asset trading directly to its vast retail base.
With over 50 million customers and more than 350 savings banks under its umbrella, the group’s entry into the market could serve as a catalyst for broader crypto adoption in the region’s traditional financial sector.
