DZ Bank obtains a MiCA license and prepares to enable access to cryptocurrencies through the meinKrypto platform.
DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest credit institution by assets, has received regulatory approval from the country’s financial supervisory authority BaFin under the new European MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) framework, paving the way for the launch of a digital asset trading platform aimed at retail customers.
The Frankfurt-based institution announced that the meinKrypto platform will become available “soon” to cooperative banks within the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken network. The move marks an evolution from the previous 2024 partnership with Boerse Stuttgart Digital, which focused exclusively on services for institutional clients.
The new initiative signals a shift from institutional testing to mainstream financial infrastructure, making digital assets accessible to millions of German savers through traditional, regulated banking channels.
The MiCA license allows the bank to offer comprehensive cryptocurrency trading and custody services in compliance with the new European regulation.
MeinKrypto will be integrated directly into the VR Banking app, providing a familiar user experience for customers of cooperative banks. The platform will offer wallets and access to trading in bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), litecoin (LTC), and cardano (ADA).
DZ Bank developed meinKrypto specifically for the primary institutions of the cooperative financial group. However, before offering the service to their customers, individual Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken will need to apply to BaFin for MiCAR notification to use the wallet integrated into the VR Banking app. Once the notification is obtained and the service implemented, customers will be able to invest in cryptocurrencies without relying on external exchange platforms.
The initiative responds to tangible market demand. According to a study conducted by Genoverband in September 2025, more than 71% of German cooperative banks belonging to the cooperative system’s association expressed interest in offering crypto services to retail clients.
