Sparkassen group launches cryptocurrency trading in mobile app

The Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, Germany’s largest banking network, has begun a phased rollout of cryptocurrency trading services through its existing mobile banking application. The service, titled ‘Krypto – powered by Deka’, is provided by the group’s securities provider, DekaBank, in cooperation with the Börse Stuttgart for custody.

Initial offerings include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Solana, and Polygon. The rollout is decentralized, meaning individual Sparkassen decide when to activate the feature; however, the group aims to have a large portion of interested institutions connected by the first half of 2027. Approximately 30 to 40 additional banks are expected to join the service each month.

The Deutsche Sparkassen- und Giroverband (DSGV) emphasized that the service is intended for independent investors who wish to buy, sell, and manage their own assets. The banks will not provide investment advice or actively market the products to the general public. Furthermore, the assets are not covered by statutory deposit guarantee schemes.

Due to the high volatility of digital assets, the DSGV issued warnings regarding the risk of total loss. The move is seen as a response to increasing competition from neobanks and digital-first platforms like N26 and Revolut.