Germany’s DZ Bank Secures MiCAR License for Retail Crypto Platform

Germany’s cooperative banking sector is taking a decisive step toward regulated crypto adoption after DZ Bank secured authorization under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR).

The approval clears the way for the rollout of meinKrypto, a trading platform enabling retail customers to access digital assets through their local cooperative banks under a regulated framework.

• Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, approved DZ Bank’s crypto platform, meinKrypto, in late December 2025.
• The service can be offered by up to 670 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken, subject to individual regulatory notification.
• Trading will initially cover Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Litecoin.

The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) granted MiCAR authorization to DZ Bank at the end of December 2025. As the central institution of Germany’s cooperative banking network, DZ Bank plays a coordinating role for hundreds of local banks across the country.

This approval establishes the legal foundation for operating a compliant crypto trading infrastructure. Consequently, DZ Bank can offer meinKrypto as a centralized service to participating cooperative banks. While the platform is now authorized, its availability to customers will depend on decisions made by individual institutions.

Following DZ Bank’s authorization, Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken must take their own regulatory steps before offering crypto trading. Specifically, each bank must submit a MiCAR notification to BaFin before activating the service.

Therefore, participation is expected to vary across the network. Once approved, meinKrypto will be integrated into the existing VR banking app, where it will function as a self-managed wallet for customers. DZ Bank emphasized that each cooperative bank will independently decide whether and when to introduce the offering.

At launch, meinKrypto will support four cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Litecoin. DZ Bank has not yet disclosed plans to expand the asset list beyond this initial group.

Furthermore, the platform was developed jointly by DZ Bank and Atruvia, the cooperative banking group’s IT service provider. Meanwhile, crypto custody will be handled by Stuttgart Stock Exchange Digital, which will safeguard customer assets.

This move aligns with the rising demand for crypto services within the cooperative banking sector. For instance, in September 2025, the German Cooperative Banking Association surveyed 670 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken on their digital asset strategies.

The survey revealed that 71% of respondents were exploring crypto offerings such as Bitcoin and Ethereum trading, up from 54% a year ago.

Moreover, around one-third of banks considering crypto said they planned to launch services within five months, highlighting growing momentum ahead of MiCAR implementation.

Alongside its crypto trading initiative, DZ Bank is also expanding into digital currencies through stablecoins. In a separate announcement, the bank confirmed it had joined Qivalis, a European banking consortium focused on issuing a regulated euro stablecoin.

The consortium includes 11 banks and plans to launch the stablecoin via a newly established Dutch entity, also named Qivalis. According to Qivalis CEO Jan-Oliver Sell, DZ Bank’s participation strengthens the consortium’s commitment to a fully MiCAR-compliant structure.

Currently, Qivalis is seeking authorization from the German National Bank to operate as an e-money institution, with a market launch targeted for the second half of 2026.

Taken together, the meinKrypto platform and the stablecoin initiative position DZ Bank at the center of Germany’s regulated crypto expansion. Overall, both initiatives reflect a cautious but structured approach to digital assets within the cooperative banking system.