Germany's third-largest bank enters the scene! ING adopts VanEck cryptocurrency notes, allowing holdings without private keys

Germany’s ING partners with VanEck to launch retail crypto investment services, offering regulated ETN trading through securities accounts, lowering barriers and combining tax advantages to accelerate the integration of traditional finance with digital assets.

Bridging Traditional Finance and Digital Assets, ING Germany Launches Retail Crypto Investment Service

In early 2026, the German financial market achieved a major breakthrough. As Germany’s third-largest bank, ING Germany (ING Germany) announced a strategic partnership with global asset management giant VanEck to officially provide retail clients with access to cryptocurrency-related investment products. This collaboration marks an important step for mainstream financial institutions in promoting the adoption of cryptocurrencies.

According to the agreement signed by both parties, starting February 2026, retail clients of ING Germany can directly trade a series of VanEck’s cryptocurrency exchange-traded notes (ETNs) through their existing Direct Depot securities brokerage accounts. The core purpose of this service is to eliminate the technical barriers for traditional investors entering the digital asset market. Using existing banking infrastructure, investors avoid the cumbersome registration process on third-party crypto exchanges and do not need to manage private keys or digital wallets.

VanEck Europe CEO Martijn Rozemuller stated that many investors are seeking solutions that integrate into their existing portfolios and offer transparent cost structures.

This partnership responds to market demand by bringing cryptocurrency exposure directly into securities accounts used for asset allocation. As traditional banks increasingly serve as bridges connecting conventional finance and digital assets, this move demonstrates growing acceptance among European institutions.

Diversified Asset Allocation and Technology Simplification, Holding Without Private Keys

The product lineup introduced by ING Germany covers various mainstream digital assets on the market. The initial launch includes 11 VanEck crypto ETNs, including** Bitcoin ($BTC)****, Ethereum ($ETH), Solana ($SOL), Algorand ($ALGO), Avalanche ($AVAX), Chainlink ($LINK), Polkadot ($DOT), Polygon ($POL), and TRON ($TRX), among others.** To meet the needs of risk-diversified investors, the bank also offers crypto index products such as VanEck Crypto Leaders ETN and VanEck Smart Contract Leaders ETN. These products are regulated securities listed on traditional trading platforms like Xetra, providing transparency and compliance safeguards.

Most of these ETN products are physically backed, with the issuer holding the corresponding underlying crypto assets. For certain assets like Solana, related products include versions with staking rewards. VanEck’s previously Nasdaq-listed Avalanche ETF (VAVX) employs a similar mechanism, incorporating approximately 5.6% annualized staking yield into the net asset value.

Further Reading
U.S. First AVAX ETF Launched! Focuses on Price Exposure + Staking Yield, VanEck Opens New Investment Path

ING Germany’s clients can participate in crypto market price fluctuations while enjoying potential benefits from blockchain infrastructure, all without requiring deep blockchain technical knowledge. This simplified investment approach is expected to attract more traditional retail users interested in digital asset allocation.

Low Barrier Fee Model to Promote Long-term and Periodic Investment

To attract long-term investors, ING Germany and its partners have established a competitive fee structure. Under the new arrangement, when trading 11 VanEck crypto ETNs, if the order amount reaches €1,000 or more, trading fees are waived. For orders below €1,000, a fixed fee of €3.90 applies. Additionally, savings plans (Savings plans), which are very popular among German retail investors, are completely free to execute. This pricing strategy aims to encourage retail investors to make long-term, periodic investments, integrating crypto assets into household asset allocation.

Image source: ING IGN ETN fee discount explanation

Besides VanEck, ING Germany is expanding its collaborations with other asset management firms like Bitwise. Bitwise’s crypto ETP products also qualify for similar benefits, such as waiving trading fees for orders over €1,000, with small orders incurring about €4.60 in commissions. Currently, ING Germany’s crypto investment options include a variety of products from 21Shares, WisdomTree, and BlackRock’s iShares. Despite turbulence in the global crypto ETP market in early 2026, with outflows reaching €3.43 billion in two weeks, Bitcoin ETFs rebounded with inflows of €562 million in a single day, indicating market resilience and institutional strength.

German Tax Advantages and Institutional Layout, Regulatory Environment Maturing

Investing in crypto-related products in Germany offers tax advantages, which is a key competitive edge for ING Germany’s promotion of these products. According to current German tax law, if an investor holds crypto assets or related supported securities for more than one year, capital gains are tax-free. This policy applies to crypto ETNs held through securities accounts, giving these products a tax efficiency advantage over traditional stocks. Although retail crypto adoption in Germany reached 9% in 2025—lower than the 12% in the U.S.—the combination of tax benefits and improved banking channels is expected to increase penetration.

This wave of digital transformation reflects a collective shift within the German banking system. Major German banks are actively integrating crypto trading into regulated frameworks. For example, DZ Bank has obtained approval under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) to launch the meinKrypto platform, allowing partner bank clients to trade Bitcoin directly within banking apps.

Further Reading
Germany’s Second Largest Bank DZ Bank Approved! Customers Can Trade Crypto in Bank Apps

Meanwhile, the German Savings Banks Finance Group (Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe) plans to launch Bitcoin trading services in summer 2026. ING Germany itself has shown broader ambitions, having joined a consortium of eight European banks last September to develop a euro stablecoin, aiming to establish a trusted European payment standard. Against the backdrop of evolving EU regulations, these initiatives foster an innovative yet compliant financial environment.

Risk Management and Warnings, Asset Volatility from a Bank Perspective

ING Germany remains cautious in its educational materials. The bank explicitly reminds customers on its official website that cryptocurrencies are speculative products with no intrinsic value, and their prices are highly dependent on psychological effects. This psychological factor also influences crypto assets traded on exchanges. The bank lists several major risks, including extreme price volatility, the risk of total loss if issuers go bankrupt, market liquidity challenges, potential market manipulation, and ongoing regulatory uncertainties in the digital asset industry.

This perspective reflects how traditional banks must balance commercial profit with investor protection when embracing emerging technologies. Although Bitcoin experienced some disruptions in early 2026 due to stalled progress and deteriorating market sentiment, leading to testing lows for the year, analysts like Bitwise believe this may be part of a market restructuring process.

Through collaborations with professional issuers like VanEck, ING Germany disperses asset management risks to experienced institutions and leverages regulated trading platforms like Xetra to enhance market transparency. This fusion of traditional banking and digital assets is reshaping Europe’s wealth management landscape.