Germany’s financial regulator BaFin has granted MiCAR authorization to DZ Bank, the country’s second-largest lender, clearing the way for the bank to roll out its own crypto trading platform, meinKrypto.
The approval, granted at the end of December, allows DZ Bank to offer crypto trading services to retail customers through its network of cooperative banks. With the license in hand, primary institutions can begin giving customers direct access to digital assets under the EU’s new crypto rules.
Before that happens, however, individual Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken will need to submit their own MiCAR notifications for meinKrypto to BaFin. Once approved and integrated into the VR banking app, the platform will function as a built-in crypto wallet designed for self-directed investors.
At launch, customers will be able to trade a limited set of major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Cardano. Each cooperative bank will ultimately decide for itself whether to offer the service to clients.
German Co-Op Banks Warm to Crypto
Interest in crypto among Germany’s cooperative banks has been rising steadily. A poll released by the German Cooperative Banking Association in September 2025 found that 71% of Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken are now considering crypto services such as Bitcoin and Ether trading, up from 54% the year before.
Momentum appears to be building quickly. Around a third of banks exploring crypto said they plan to launch services within the next five months, signaling that digital assets are moving higher on the agenda across the sector.
The meinKrypto platform was jointly developed by Atruvia, the IT provider for Germany’s cooperative banking group, and DZ Bank. Stuttgart Stock Exchange Digital will be responsible for safeguarding customer crypto assets.
DZ Bank Backs Euro Stablecoin Project
In a separate announcement, DZ Bank also confirmed it has joined Qivalis, a European banking consortium working to launch a regulated euro-denominated stablecoin.
The consortium, now made up of 11 banks, plans to introduce its euro stablecoin next year through a newly formed Dutch entity also called Qivalis. The project is designed to meet MiCAR requirements and support payments and digital transactions across Europe.
“We are delighted to welcome DZ Bank as the eleventh member of the consortium,” said Jan-Oliver Sell, CEO of Qivalis. “Their participation strengthens our joint commitment to building a robust, MiCAR-compliant euro stablecoin infrastructure for European businesses and consumers.”
Qivalis is currently seeking approval from the Dutch National Bank to operate as an e-money institution and is targeting a market launch in the second half of 2026.
