What ReiseBank does

ReiseBank AG is a Frankfurt am Main-based, BaFin-regulated German bank founded in 1926 and wholly owned by DZ BANK AG, operating as the specialized provider of travel payment instruments and precious metals within the Genossenschaftliche FinanzGruppe Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken cooperative banking network. The company runs two core product lines: foreign currency exchange (Sorten) for travelers, sold via online pre-order with home delivery or in-branch at approximately 50 German cities concentrated at major train stations and airports, and a precious metals (Edelmetalle) portfolio of physical gold and silver bars and coins supplied by major global refiners and mints (Heraeus, Umicore, Rand Refinery, Perth Mint, Austrian Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, Royal Mint), with a dedicated online shop at edelmetalle.reisebank.de launched in 2024. The technology platform is a web-based e-commerce stack with a currency converter, denomination selection, order tracking, insured shipping (with tiered handling above and below €5,000), POSTIDENT-based identity verification for orders above €15,000, and modern checkout integrations including VR Payment, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and the Wero open banking standard.

The business model is primarily transactional. Currency exchange revenue comes from the spread on buying and selling foreign banknotes; precious metals revenue comes from markups over spot prices on gold and silver bars, coins, and specialty categories (Recycling-Gold, Vintage-Gold). A subscription Goldsparplan (gold savings plan) starting at €25 per month provides recurring revenue, with stored gold held in high-security German vaults until customers accumulate at least one complete bar or coin, after which free delivery is available. The Goldsparplan is distributed exclusively through Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken branches, embedding ReiseBank in the cooperative network's retail footprint. Western Union money transfer services are offered in branches as an ancillary cross-border service.

The customer base is segmented across individual travelers needing foreign currency, precious metals investors seeking bank-grade authenticity and guaranteed buyback, savings-plan customers building gold positions via monthly contributions, and institutional bank partners supplied through the cooperative network. Marketing is multi-channel, combining a content magazine, SEO-optimized product pages, email newsletters, organic social (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook), paid search (Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising), and Awin affiliate partnerships. ReiseBank is self-described as Germany's market leader in travel payment instruments, a position supported by 100 years of brand heritage, regulatory standing, and the structural advantage of DZ BANK group ownership.

Name

ReiseBank

Legal name

Reisebank AG

Website

https://reisebank.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ReiseBank AG is a Frankfurt-based, BaFin-regulated German bank and wholly-owned DZ BANK subsidiary specializing in foreign currency exchange and physical precious metals sales, serving individual travelers, precious metals investors, and the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken cooperative network through branches in approximately 50 German cities and dedicated e-commerce platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking - Foreign Currency Exchange & Precious Metals

NAICS

Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-border/Remittance Neobanks (FSABAFAH)

Keywords

• Foreign currency exchange
• Precious metals trading
• Travel money services
• Physical gold investment
• Gold savings plan

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Currency Exchange (Sorten): Purchase and sale of foreign currencies (banknotes) for travelers. Revenue generated from the spread between buying and selling rates. Customers pre-order online and receive delivery to their address, or purchase directly at branches.
2. Precious Metals (Edelmetalle): Sale of gold and silver in various forms (bars and coins) through the online shop. Revenue generated from markup over spot price. Products include gold bars, gold coins (Krügerrand, Maple Leaf, Philharmonic, Kangaroo), silver bars, and silver coins.
3. Gold Savings Plan (Goldsparplan): Monthly gold savings plan where customers accumulate physical gold through regular installments. Gold is stored in high-security vaults. Upon reaching savings goal (minimum one complete bar or coin), customers can request delivery or continue saving.
4. Western Union Services: Money transfer services through Western Union partnership, enabling customers to send money internationally

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ReiseBank is a BaFin-regulated German bank that sells foreign currency cash in more than 80 currencies and physical precious metals (gold and silver bars and coins) to retail and business customers. It also offers a recurring gold savings plan (Goldsparplan) and operates Western Union money transfer services, distributing through branches at German train stations and airports, online shops, and the cooperative Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken partner network.

Product overview

ReiseBank operates as a specialized bank for travel money and precious metals, offering two core product lines: currency exchange services (Reisegeld) for purchasing foreign banknotes, and a comprehensive precious metals (Edelmetalle) portfolio including gold and silver bars and coins. The currency exchange product includes a free online currency calculator and buyback service. The precious metals division features a dedicated online shop at edelmetalle.reisebank.de with options ranging from standard investment products (new gold/silver bars and coins) to specialty items like recycling gold and vintage gold. A gold savings plan (Goldsparplan) enables monthly savings starting at €25. Western Union money transfer services are available at branch locations. The company operates branch locations in 50 cities throughout Germany, primarily at major train stations and airports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Travel Money / Foreign Currency Exchange (Reisegeld) Sale and buyback of foreign currency cash in more than 80 currencies for individual travelers and business customers at branches and online.
• Physical Gold Bars (Goldbarren) Sale of physical investment gold bars in various weights for retail precious-metals investors seeking tangible wealth storage.
• Physical Gold Coins (Goldmünzen) Sale of physical investment gold coins for retail investors and as collectible or gift items.
• Physical Silver Bars (Silberbarren) Sale of physical investment silver bars for retail investors diversifying into silver as a store of value.
• Physical Silver Coins (Silbermünzen) Sale of physical investment silver coins for retail investors and collectors.
• Recycled Gold (Recycling-Gold) Sale of recycled-source gold bars and coins targeting environmentally or sustainability-conscious precious-metals buyers.
• Vintage Gold (Vintage-Gold) Sale of vintage gold bars and coins aimed at collectors and buyers seeking older or historic precious-metals pieces.
• Gold Savings Plan (Goldsparplan) Recurring savings plan enabling retail customers to accumulate physical gold over time through regular contributions, building a long-term wealth-preservation position.
• Western Union Money Transfer Global money transfer service operated in partnership with Western Union, allowing customers to send and receive cash transfers internationally through branches and online channels.
• Currency Buyback (Rückkauf) Buyback of foreign currency cash from customers, including unused travel currency returned after trips, providing a reverse channel to the foreign currency exchange offering.

Quantifiable outcome

• Germany's market leader in travel payment instruments
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken (Genossenschaftliche FinanzGruppe)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distribution partnership for travel currencies and precious metals. The Goldsparplan (gold savings plan) is distributed exclusively through Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken branches. ReiseBank serves as the specialized provider for the entire cooperative banking network.
• HeraeusminorOthersPrecious metals supplier - Heraeus is one of the world's largest refiners of precious metals, supplying gold and silver bars to ReiseBank
• UmicoreminorOthersPrecious metals supplier - Belgian materials technology company supplying refined precious metals
• South African Rand RefineryminorOthersPrecious metals supplier - South African refiner, major producer of gold bars and the original manufacturer of Krügerrand coins
• Perth Mint (Australia)minorOthersPrecious metals supplier - Australian government-owned mint producing gold and silver investment coins (Australian Kangaroo, Kookaburra)
• Austrian Mint (Münze Österreich)minorOthersPrecious metals supplier - Official Austrian mint producing the popular Vienna Philharmonic gold and silver coins
• Royal Canadian MintminorOthersPrecious metals supplier - Canadian government mint producing Maple Leaf gold and silver coins
• Royal Mint (United Kingdom)minorOthersPrecious metals supplier - UK government mint producing British Britannia gold and silver coins
• VR Payment GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service provider for processing credit card, debit card, and bank transfer payments. Located at Platz der Republik, Frankfurt am Main, same address as ReiseBank headquarters.
• Deutsche Post AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationPOSTIDENT identity verification service used for compliance with anti-money laundering regulations (GwG) for orders exceeding €15,000. Customers can verify identity at post office branches or via video chat.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Travelex: Global market leader in foreign currency exchange and travel money services, with airport and high-street branch presence across multiple continents. Directly comparable to ReiseBank as a travel currency specialist, though at much larger global scale.
• Wise: Digital cross-border payments and multi-currency account platform. Represents a structural alternative to ReiseBank's travel cash model, relevant as a competitive threat and benchmark for digital currency services.
• MoneyGram: Global money transfer and remittance network with retail agent locations. Comparable to ReiseBank's Western Union partnership offering, providing international money transfer services at physical branch points.
• Western Union: Global leader in cross-border money transfers and remittances, and ReiseBank's existing money transfer partner. Highly comparable in the remittance/cross-border money movement space.

Direct peers

• Eurochange: UK-based retail foreign currency exchange and travel money provider with high-street and online ordering. Closely comparable to ReiseBank's core Sorten business model, serving travelers through physical branches and digital channels.
• Degussa Goldhandel: Germany's leading precious metals dealer offering gold, silver, and platinum bars and coins online and via branches. Directly comparable to ReiseBank's Edelmetalle side with a similar German retail focus and physical/online dual-channel model.
• pro aurum: German precious metals specialist (gold, silver, platinum) with online shop and Munich showroom. Closely comparable to ReiseBank's precious metals business, including direct-to-consumer sales and a savings-style acquisition product.
• Gold.de: German online precious metals comparison and dealer platform. Comparable to ReiseBank's edelmetalle.reisebank.de in offering retail access to gold/silver investment products across German-speaking markets.
• No1 Currency: Retail foreign currency exchange network with airport and city-center branches in Australia and the UK. Comparable to ReiseBank's Sorten product and hub-based branch model.

Others

• Currencycloud: B2B cross-border payments and FX infrastructure provider (now part of Visa). Relevant as an enabling/adjacent provider in the broader foreign exchange ecosystem that ReiseBank operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ReisebankAG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reisebank-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/reisebank_ag
• Xx.com/reisebankag

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ReiseBank