EthikBank

What EthikBank does

EthikBank is a German ethical-ecological direct bank (Direktbank) organized as a registered cooperative (EthikBank eG, eingetragene Genossenschaft), headquartered in Eisenberg, Thuringia. Founded in 2002 and operating with 51-100 employees, the bank serves private customers (Privatkunden), business customers (Geschäftskunden, including freelancers, SMEs, and NGOs), and mission-driven organizations across Germany through online and mobile channels without a physical branch network. The bank's central differentiator is its proprietary ethical-investment framework: the "Gläserne Bank" (Transparent Bank) concept, which publicly discloses all securities, customer loans, and investments held under strict social-ecological criteria, and the "Ethik-Kompass" screening system that evaluates companies, sovereigns, bank bonds, Pfandbriefe, controversies, and ethical research for portfolio and lending decisions.

The product architecture spans checking accounts (GirokontoKlima, joint, micro, junior, and youth variants), savings products (Tagesgeld, Festgeld, Fondssparplan, Bausparen), a broad lending range (Baufinanzierung with a Förderbonus, ÖkoKredit for photovoltaic / renewable-energy investments, FAIRbraucherkredit, Tiny House Kredit, plus Geschäftskredit, Betriebsmittelkredit, Avalkredit, and residential project finance), investment products (MeinInvest digital investment assistant, sustainable funds), and partner-distributed insurance. The technology stack includes the MyBanking mobile application, Video-Ident/PostIdent/eID onboarding flows, EBICS Business for corporate payment automation, BankingManager software for accounting integration, MasterCard Identitycheck for 3D-Secure authentication, and integrations with Apple Pay and Wero for payments.

EthikBank monetizes through four streams: recurring account fees (e.g., GirokontoKlima at €2/month first year and €8.50/month standard, youth accounts free under 28), interest spreads on deposits and loans (ÖkoKredit, Baufinanzierung, FAIRbraucherkredit, and business lending), management and transaction fees on investment products including the MeinInvest robo-style assistant, and commissions on insurance products sold through partner providers. Distribution is digital-first (self-serve online banking, mobile app, plus inside-sales customer center and WhatsApp), with marketing emphasizing sustainability credentials and the Gläserne Bank transparency platform. Three 2026 awards — Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis, double Finanz-Awards recognition for service and Konditionen, and Finanzprodukt des Jahres for ecological Baufinanzierung — reinforce the values-based positioning. The bank operates exclusively in Germany, has no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, M&A, or external funding, and is owned by its cooperative members.

Name

EthikBank

Legal name

EthikBank eG

Website

https://ethikbank.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EthikBank is a German ethical-ecological direct cooperative bank that serves private and business customers across Germany with sustainable checking accounts, savings, eco-loans, and investment funds, all screened and disclosed through its proprietary Ethik-Kompass and Gläserne Bank transparency frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (52218), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Savings Institutions, Not Federally Chartered (6036), Finance Services (6199), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Green/Ethical/Sustainable Neobanks (FSABAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ)

Keywords

• Ethical retail banking
• Direct banking services
• Sustainable finance
• Cooperative banking
• Ecological lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Eisenberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Banking Services: Traditional banking revenue from current accounts (Girokonto), savings accounts (Tagesgeld, Festgeld), and credit products. Core revenue from account maintenance fees, interest spreads, and transaction fees. Products include GirokontoKlima, Geschäftskonto, Mikrokonto, and various youth/specialized accounts.
2. Investment Products: Revenue from managing investment funds, depot services, and the MeinInvest digital investment assistant. Includes fund management fees and transaction-based income from securities trading.
3. Loan Products: Interest income from various credit products including Baufinanzierung (mortgage), ÖkoKredit, FAIRbraucherkredit, Geschäftskredit, Tiny House Kredit, and Betriebsmittelkredit. Eco-focused lending products command premium positioning.
4. Insurance Products: Offering health, personal/family, property, and animal insurance products through partnerships with insurance providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EthikBank is an ethical-ecological direct bank (Direktbank) operating as a German cooperative (eG), offering private and business customers a full range of banking products including checking accounts, savings and fixed-term deposits, sustainable investment funds, mortgages, consumer and business loans, and insurance products. All financial activities are governed by strict ethical-ecological investment criteria, with full transparency of where customer funds are deployed via the proprietary 'Gläserne Bank' (Transparent Bank) platform and Ethik-Kompass screening system.

Product overview

EthikBank is an ethical-ecological direct bank offering a comprehensive portfolio of banking products for both private and business customers. The product architecture consists of core banking services organized into three main categories: checking/savings accounts (GirokontoKlima, Tagesgeld, Festgeld), loans (ÖkoKredit, Baufinanzierung, FAIRbraucherkredit, Tiny House Kredit), and investments (MeinInvest digital assistant, Nachhaltige Fonds, Fondssparplan). For business customers, the bank provides Geschäftskonto, business credit products, and corporate deposit options. The platform integrates supplementary services including the MyBanking App for mobile access, BankingManager software for accounting integration, and EBICS Business for automated payment processing. All products operate under strict ethical-ecological investment criteria, ensuring customer funds are deployed exclusively for environmental and social benefit. The bank serves private individuals, freelancers, SMEs, and NGOs seeking ethical banking alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GirokontoKlima Ethical checking account with climate focus for private customers, featuring a climate discount for new customers and €25 starting credit. Includes free account switching service.
• GirokontoStart Klima Checking account for young people under 28 years old, available free of charge for the target demographic.
• Gemeinschaftskonto Joint checking account for couples or partners sharing financial management.
• Mikrokonto Basic micro checking account for private customers requiring minimal banking services.
• Tagesgeld Daily deposit savings account offering 1.75% starter interest rate for 3 months as a complement to the checking account.
• Festgeld Fixed-term deposit account for secure long-term savings with guaranteed interest rates.
• MeinInvest Digital investment assistant for automated, algorithm-driven portfolio management and sustainable fund investments.
• Nachhaltige Fonds Sustainable investment funds that align with ethical and ecological criteria, designed to match or exceed conventional fund performance.
• ÖkoKredit 2026 Eco loan supporting photovoltaic and renewable energy investments with fixed feed-in tariffs and long-term planning security.
• Baufinanzierung mit Förderbonus Ecological home financing with tiered subsidy bonus, offering favorable interest rates for sustainable construction projects. Awarded Financial Product of the Year 2026.
• FAIRbraucherkredit Fair consumer loan with ethical lending criteria and transparent conditions.
• Tiny House Kredit Specialized loan product for tiny house construction or purchase.
• Girokonto Junior Junior checking account for children and teenagers to learn banking fundamentals.
• ZinskontoStart Interest-bearing savings account for young people as a gateway product to financial management.
• Fondssparplan Fund savings plan for regular, systematic investing in sustainable funds.
• VL-Sparen Employee savings benefit (Vermögenswirksame Leistungen) program aligned with ethical investment criteria.
• Früh-Start Rente Early-start pension product designed for children to build retirement savings from an early age.
• Versicherungen Insurance products including health, personal/family, property, and pet insurance categories offered through partnerships with insurance providers.
• Geschäftskonto Business checking account providing all services needed for commercial payment transactions, targeting freelancers, SMEs, and NGOs.
• MikrokontoGeschäft Micro business account for small enterprises requiring basic banking services.
• Geschäftskredit Business loan for commercial financing needs of enterprises.
• Betriebsmittelkredit Working capital credit facility for businesses to finance operational expenses.
• Avalkredit Guarantee credit for businesses requiring security bonds or warranties.
• Wohnprojekte Financing solutions for residential construction and housing development projects.
• ZinskontoBusiness Business savings account offering daily deposit access for corporate customers.
• FestgeldBusiness Business fixed-term deposit for secure, higher-yield corporate savings.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• VR-RentePlus (Riester Banksparplan)supportingOthersPartnership providing Riester retirement savings product (VR-RentePlus) as part of retirement planning offerings for customers.
• Insurance PartnerssupportingOthersPartnership with insurance providers offering health, personal/family, property, and animal insurance products through EthikBank distribution.
• MeinInvest PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital investment assistant platform enabling automated, algorithm-driven investment management for retail customers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Umweltbank: German ecological bank (Umweltbank AG) focused on environmental financing and sustainable investment. Directly comparable as a German niche bank specializing in eco-lending and green investment products, though structured as an AG rather than a cooperative.
• Triodos Bank: European sustainable bank (Netherlands-headquartered) operating in Germany with a focus on positive environmental and social impact. Directly comparable as a values-based bank offering ethical current accounts, savings, and investment products with full transparency of lending portfolio.
• GLS Bank: Germany's largest ethical-ecological cooperative bank, founded in 1974. Directly comparable to EthikBank as a values-driven German bank offering full-service retail and business banking under strict social-ecological investment criteria, with similar product breadth and cooperative ownership.

Broad incumbents

• ING Deutschland: Major German direct bank (ING-DiBa) with strong sustainability positioning and ESG product offerings. Comparable as a large-scale direct bank in Germany with growing sustainable finance product lines, though broader portfolio than EthikBank.
• Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe: Largest German banking group with public-sector mandate, extensive branch network, and growing sustainable finance offerings. Comparable as a major German retail/SME banking competitor with increasingly broad ESG product ranges.
• DKB (Deutsche Kreditbank): One of Germany's largest direct banks, owned by BayernLB, offering full-service retail and business banking. Comparable as a digital-first direct bank serving German customers with similar product breadth, though not exclusively values-driven.
• Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken: Cooperative banking group (BVR/Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe) comprising hundreds of regional cooperative banks in Germany. Comparable as a cooperative banking structure serving German retail and SME customers, though not values-specialized.

Emerging players

• Tomorrow (bank): German mobile-first sustainable banking platform offering a current account with climate impact tracking. Comparable as an emerging sustainable banking player targeting the same values-driven German retail segment, though with a narrower product range and digital-native model.

Others

• Oikocredit: International cooperative society financing financial inclusion and sustainable development. Comparable in values-driven cooperative structure and ethical finance mission, though focused on development lending rather than retail banking.

Regional players

• BW Bank (Baden-Württembergische Bank): German regional bank owned by LBBW with strong SME and sustainable financing focus. Comparable as a German bank with sustainability positioning and SME lending expertise, though regionally concentrated in Baden-Württemberg.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EthikBank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ethikbank
• Instagraminstagram.com/ethikbank
• TikToktiktok.com/@ethikbank
• Xx.com/ethikbank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 EthikBank