DZ Bank has obtained authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), allowing the bank to proceed with plans to offer retail Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading services through Germany’s cooperative banking network.

The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) granted the MiCAR license in December 2025. 

The authorization permits DZ Bank, which serves as the central institution for Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken, to support the rollout of a digital asset trading platform for retail customers.

The platform, called meinKrypto, is intended to enable individual cooperative banks to provide Bitcoin and crypto trading services within their existing banking systems. 

DZ Bank will coordinate the platform at the central level, while each participating cooperative bank is required to submit its own MiCAR notification to BaFin before offering the service to customers.

After receiving approval and completing technical integration, meinKrypto will be accessible through the VR Banking App and will operate as a wallet and trading interface for self-directed investors. 

At launch, the platform will support Bitcoin and a limited number of other digital assets. Any expansion of supported assets will be subject to regulatory review.

Participation in the rollout will be determined individually by each cooperative bank. Institutions will decide whether to offer Bitcoin and crypto trading services based on internal assessments, including business considerations and risk management policies. 

Customers using the platform will be able to buy, sell, and hold digital assets without using external Bitcoin and crypto exchanges.

The technical infrastructure for meinKrypto was developed by Atruvia, the IT service provider for the cooperative banking group, in cooperation with DZ Bank. 

Digital asset custody services will be provided by Stuttgart Stock Exchange Digital, which will hold client assets in accordance with applicable German and European regulatory requirements.

DZ Bank has previously engaged in digital asset activities focused on institutional clients, working with regulated market infrastructure providers. 

The MiCAR authorization enables the bank to extend Bitcoin and crypto-related services to retail customers through the cooperative banking network.

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