DZ Bank Secures MiCAR License to Launch Crypto Platform for German Co-ops
DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest bank, announced on Jan. 13, 2026 that it has been granted a MiCAR license to operate a crypto trading platform for the country’s cooperative banking network. The platform is set to offer Bitcoin and selected altcoin trading and will act as a centrally managed infrastructure for Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken to provide regulated digital-asset services to their customers.
The MiCAR authorization gives DZ Bank an EU-compliant framework for custody, trading and compliance controls, and signals that established lenders are integrating crypto services into regulated channels. For customers, the move could mean easier access to digital assets through trusted local banks; for the market, it increases competition among regulated custodians and reinforces investor protection and AML-conscious operations within Germany’s cooperative sector.