How DZ Bank's MiCAR license opens cryptocurrency trading for millions of German bank customers

Source: Yellow Original Title: How DZ Bank’s MiCAR License Opens Cryptocurrency Trading to Millions of German Bank Customers

Original Link: https://yellow.com/es/news/la-licencia-micar-del-dz-bank-de-alemania-abre-el-comercio-de-criptomonedas-a-millones-de-clientes-bancarios-alemanes

DZ Bank Obtains MiCAR License

DZ Bank (Germany’s second-largest bank) received the crypto asset market(MiCAR) trading authorization from the German financial regulator BaFin at the end of December 2025, paving the way for approximately 700 partner banks to offer cryptocurrency trading services.

This approval allows DZ Bank to operate its meinKrypto platform, which will be directly integrated into the VR Banking App used by customers across the entire network of partner banks. Each Volksbank and Raiffeisenbank must now submit their respective MiCAR notifications to BaFin before activating the service for retail customers.

Deployment Structure and Initial Products

The initial version of the meinKrypto platform will support Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Cardano for independent investors, rather than through traditional advisory channels.

DZ Bank, together with the IT service provider Atruvia of the German cooperative financial group, developed the infrastructure, with custody services managed by Boerse Stuttgart Digital, and trade execution handled by EUWAX AG.

Each partner bank retains independent authority to decide whether to implement cryptocurrency services, forming a voluntary adoption framework across the entire network.

Market Readiness and Regulatory Background

A survey conducted by the German Cooperative Banks Association in September 2025 showed that 71% of the 670 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken in Germany are exploring crypto products, an increase from 54% the previous year.

More than one-third of banks considering crypto services plan to launch these services within five months of the survey.

MiCAR establishes a unified regulatory standard for crypto asset services across the European Union, requiring financial institutions to obtain specific authorization for various crypto-related commercial activities.

The cooperative bank network, with over 7,200 branches serving approximately 30 million customers, makes the potential deployment of crypto services one of the largest regulated retail crypto initiatives in Europe.