ING Deutschland, Germany's largest retail bank, has launched a new service allowing its customers to directly buy and sell cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) from their existing bank-linked securities accounts. The offering, facilitated through the bank's Direct Depot setup, provides a seamless on-ramp for everyday investors to gain exposure to digital assets without the need for separate wallets or private keys.
The available products track the price movements of major cryptocurrencies, specifically Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL). According to the bank's website and official announcements, these are real crypto-backed ETPs issued by leading asset managers including 21Shares, Bitwise, VanEck, iShares (BlackRock), and WisdomTree. The service also includes access to Solana ETPs with staking-enabled variants and broader crypto index products.
Martijn Rozemuller, CEO of VanEck Europe, highlighted the partnership's significance, stating it offers "low-threshold access to crypto investments" that integrates into investors' existing depot structures with transparent costs. "It brings crypto exposure to where investors already invest: in their securities account," he said in a translated press release.
The move underscores the growing retail demand for digital assets in Germany. Deutsche Bank research cited in the announcement indicates that retail crypto adoption in Germany reached 9% in 2025, though it still trails the U.S. adoption rate of 12%. A key benefit for German investors is the favorable tax treatment: these crypto ETPs receive the same capital gains tax exemption as holding physical cryptocurrencies if held for more than one year.
