Germany · East

Banks in Berlin

Berlin is Germany's capital and its foremost fintech hub — N26, Trade Republic and many digital banks are based here. The city has a fast-growing but still relatively low-income banking market.

How to use this page. Information is compiled from national banking regulators and deposit guarantee schemes. Banking rules and product availability change — always confirm details with the bank itself before acting. This is educational information, not a recommendation of any provider.

ItemDetail
CountryGermany
RegionBerlin (Berlin) — East
CapitalBerlin
CurrencyEUR
RegulatorBaFin (federal) / Senatsverwaltung für Finanzen Berlin
Deposit protection100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank (German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung))
Identity neededSteueridentifikationsnummer

Banks based in or prominent in Berlin

These institutions have a meaningful presence in the region, whether headquartered there or operating a substantial local network.

Berliner Sparkasse

Regional presence

Berliner Sparkasse is a public savings bank (Sparkasse) in Germany. Our directory records its head office in Berlin. It is supervised by BaFin / Deutsche Bundesbank. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through the German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung). Opening an account normally requires proof of local residency and a domestic tax identification number. It is a public-law savings bank within the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, operating inside a defined local territory rather than nationally.

Landesbank Berlin

Regional presence

A German Landesbank headquartered in Berlin, operating as the central institution for the Berlin savings banks and as a commercial bank for corporate and real estate clients. It is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank and has no branch network of its own. It is part of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe and holds the Berliner Sparkasse within its group.

N26

Regional presence

A German mobile bank headquartered in Berlin, founded in 2013 and holding a full German banking licence since 2016. It is supervised by BaFin, the Bundesbank and the ECB, and customer deposits fall under the German statutory deposit guarantee scheme. It offers current accounts, cards and savings to customers across the European Economic Area entirely through a smartphone app, with no branches.

Trade Republic

Regional presence

A German broker and bank headquartered in Berlin, holding a full German banking licence since 2023. It is supervised by BaFin, the Bundesbank and the ECB, and cash balances are held under German deposit protection arrangements. It offers commission-free securities trading, savings plans and — more recently — current accounts and cards, targeting retail investors across Europe.

Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB)

Regional presence

A German direct bank headquartered in Berlin and a subsidiary of Bayerische Landesbank. It holds a German banking licence and its deposits are covered by German deposit protection. DKB serves private customers and businesses entirely through digital and telephone channels, offering current accounts, savings, consumer loans and mortgages, and is known for low-fee account conditions.

Credit unions and mutuals in Berlin

Member-owned institutions usually offer higher savings rates and lower fees than shareholder-owned banks. Membership eligibility varies, so check before applying.

Sparda-Bank Berlin

Member-owned

Sparda-Bank Berlin is a cooperative bank operating in Germany. Our directory indexes it under Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony. Opening an account normally requires proof of local residency and a domestic tax identification number. It is a member-owned cooperative, part of the German cooperative banking sector known as the Genossenschaftsbanken. It is supervised by BaFin / Deutsche Bundesbank. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through the German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung).

Berliner Volksbank

Member-owned

Berliner Volksbank is a cooperative bank operating in Germany. It is a member-owned cooperative, part of the German cooperative banking sector known as the Genossenschaftsbanken. It is supervised by BaFin / Deutsche Bundesbank. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through the German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung). Our directory indexes it under Berlin. Opening an account normally requires proof of local residency and a domestic tax identification number.

Available in Berlin from anywhere

National banks and digital banks operate across Germany, so your region does not restrict access to them.

National banks

Deutsche Bank

National bank

The largest bank in Germany by assets, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Deutsche Bank is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank within the European Central Bank's Single Supervisory Mechanism, and German deposits are protected by the statutory deposit guarantee scheme. It operates as a universal bank across private clients, corporate banking, and investment banking, and also runs the DWS asset management business.

Commerzbank

National bank

The second-largest listed bank in Germany, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Commerzbank is supervised by BaFin, the Bundesbank and the ECB, and participates in the statutory German deposit protection scheme. It serves private and small-business customers through its branch network and digital channels, alongside corporate banking and a substantial Polish subsidiary, mBank. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through the German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung).

Postbank

National bank

A German retail bank headquartered in Bonn and part of the Deutsche Bank group, which has owned it since 2010 and completed its operational integration in the mid-2020s. Deposits are covered by the German statutory deposit protection scheme. Postbank serves private customers with current accounts, savings and lending, and historically used the Deutsche Post branch network.

HypoVereinsbank

National bank

A German bank headquartered in Munich and part of the Italian UniCredit group. It is supervised by BaFin, the Bundesbank and the ECB, and its deposits fall under German deposit protection. It operates as UniCredit's German arm, serving private customers, wealthy clients and corporations, and includes the Wealth Management and Corporate & Investment Banking divisions.

Santander Germany

National bank

The German consumer banking operation of Banco Santander, headquartered in Mönchengladbach. Deposits are protected under the German statutory scheme. It focuses on retail customers, offering current accounts, consumer loans, mortgages and investment products, and runs its German business with a strong digital and telephone service model rather than a dense branch network. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through the German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung).

Digital banks

N26

Digital

A German mobile bank headquartered in Berlin, founded in 2013 and holding a full German banking licence since 2016. It is supervised by BaFin, the Bundesbank and the ECB, and customer deposits fall under the German statutory deposit guarantee scheme. It offers current accounts, cards and savings to customers across the European Economic Area entirely through a smartphone app, with no branches.

Comdirect

Digital

A German direct bank headquartered in Quickborn, near Hamburg, and part of the Commerzbank group. Comdirect has a German banking licence, is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, and its deposits fall under the German deposit protection scheme. It combines online brokerage with a current account and savings products, serving self-directed investors rather than branch customers.

DKB

Digital

A German direct bank headquartered in Berlin, operating as Deutsche Kreditbank AG and owned by Bayerische Landesbank. It holds a German banking licence, is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, and its deposits fall under the German statutory protection scheme. It serves private and business customers through digital channels without branches, offering current accounts, savings products, consumer credit and mortgages.

ING Deutschland

Digital

The German direct banking arm of the Dutch ING Group, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It holds a German banking licence, is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, and participates in German deposit protection. It serves private customers with current accounts, savings, consumer loans, mortgages and brokerage, operating without branches through digital and telephone channels.

Trade Republic

Digital

A German broker and bank headquartered in Berlin, holding a full German banking licence since 2023. It is supervised by BaFin, the Bundesbank and the ECB, and cash balances are held under German deposit protection arrangements. It offers commission-free securities trading, savings plans and — more recently — current accounts and cards, targeting retail investors across Europe.

Opening a bank account in Berlin

The documents required are strict, even though the process itself is simple. Work through these in order.

  1. 1
    Complete Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt — book early, slots fill fast.
  2. 2
    Obtain your Steueridentifikationsnummer.
  3. 3
    Provide a passport or national ID with the registration confirmation.
  4. 4
    Apply online — Berlin's digital banks make this very fast.
  5. 5
    Fund the account.

Berlin banking rules worth knowing

  • The Berliner Sparkasse is the city's public savings bank.
  • Berlin has become the centre of German fintech regulation and digital banking.
  • Anmeldung is required and can take several weeks in popular districts.
  • Deposit protection is 100,000 EUR per depositor per bank.

Other things to keep in mind

  • Berlin is the best city in Germany for digital banking options.
  • Anmeldung appointments can take weeks — book as soon as you arrive.
  • The Berliner Sparkasse is the largest savings bank in Germany by customer count.

Frequently asked questions

Which regulator supervises banks in Berlin?
Banking in Berlin is supervised by BaFin (federal) / Senatsverwaltung für Finanzen Berlin. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung).
How do I open a bank account in Berlin?
Complete Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt — book early, slots fill fast. Obtain your Steueridentifikationsnummer. Provide a passport or national ID with the registration confirmation. Apply online — Berlin's digital banks make this very fast. Fund the account.
How much of my money is protected in Berlin?
Deposits in Berlin are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor, per bank through German statutory deposit guarantee (Einlagensicherung). This protection applies per depositor, per institution, so holding accounts at two different institutions raises your total coverage.
Do I need to be a resident of Berlin to open an account?
Yes in practice. Banks in Berlin normally require proof of local residence, and you will need a Steueridentifikationsnummer. Some digital banks accept applications during relocation if you already have an address.

Sources and verification

The regulatory details on this page come from the bodies that publish them, not from secondary summaries. Each was checked in September 2026.

Banking rules and product availability change. Always confirm details with the institution itself before acting. This page is educational information, not a recommendation of any provider. Last reviewed: September 2026.

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