KD-Bank

What KD-Bank does

KD-Bank (legal name: Bank für Kirche und Diakonie eG) is a Dortmund-based German cooperative bank (eingetragene Genossenschaft) founded in 1925, operating as a specialized church bank (Kirchenbank) within the Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe cooperative financial network. Its primary customers are church congregations, diaconal social service organizations (hospitals, care homes, welfare institutions), and foundations; secondary segments include high-net-worth private banking clients seeking ethical investments and general retail customers seeking values-aligned banking. Core products span transaction banking (Geschäftskonto for institutions, Basiskonto for retail, Girocard), lending (Baufinanzierung real estate financing, Sofortkredit up to 75,000 EUR), investment products (Fonds mit Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie via Union Investment, Vermögensverwaltungen asset management, VR-Profi-Broker securities brokerage), and specialized services (Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung sustainability reporting, KD-onlineSpende donation portal, KD-Bank-Stiftung foundation).

The technology stack is the standard German cooperative banking platform: the VR Banking App, an OnlineBanking web portal, integration with DZ BANK market data, and PSD2-compliant XS2A access for authorized third parties. There is no disclosed proprietary technology layer beyond the KD-Nachhaltigkeitsfilter ethical screening framework. Distribution combines direct advisory for institutional clients with self-serve digital channels for retail. Partner products (R+V insurance, TeamBank easyCredit, Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall, DZ PRIVATBANK) are distributed through the bank, generating transaction-fee revenue alongside core banking and lending income.

The revenue model is a mix of recurring banking and asset management fees plus transaction fees on partner products. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed; the bank publishes a Preis- und Leistungsverzeichnis on request. As a cooperative, KD-Bank is member-owned with no external shareholders, no public listing, no venture capital involvement, and no disclosed funding rounds. Operating geographies are limited to Germany. In 2025 the bank celebrated its 100th anniversary, and in June 2026 its General Assembly approved a 4% member dividend and confirmed strategy, including joint ESG advocacy with peer church/specialist banks on sustainability transformation in the healthcare and social economy.

Name

KD-Bank

Legal name

Bank für Kirche und Diakonie eG - KD-Bank

Website

https://kd-bank.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

KD-Bank is a 100-year-old German cooperative bank (eG) headquartered in Dortmund that specializes in banking, lending, and financial services for church institutions, diaconal social organizations, and ethically aligned private and private banking clients, operating within the Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Banking Services: Traditional banking services including current accounts, credit facilities, and payment services for church and diaconal institutions as well as private customers.
2. Investment and Asset Management: Fund investments with sustainability strategies, wealth management, and securities brokerage through VR-Profi-Broker.
3. Financing Services: Real estate financing (Baufinanzierung), instant loans (Sofortkredit) up to 75,000 EUR, and project-specific credit for church/diaconal construction projects.
4. Insurance and Partner Products: Partner products including insurance (R+V Versicherung), consumer credit (TeamBank easyCredit), investment funds (Union Investment), building society (Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall), and other financial products distributed through the bank.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KD-Bank is a German cooperative bank (eG) that provides current accounts, lending, real estate financing, investment products, and payment services primarily to church congregations, diaconal social service organizations, and the broader social economy. It also serves private customers and high-net-worth individuals with ethical, sustainable wealth management through its Private Banking division, and operates a donation portal (KD-onlineSpende) and charitable foundation (KD-Bank-Stiftung).

Product overview

KD-Bank (Bank für Kirche und Diakonie) is a German cooperative bank specializing in financial services for churches, charitable organizations (Diakonie), and private customers. The bank operates a platform-plus-services model anchored by core banking products including Private Banking, OnlineBanking, girocard debit cards, business accounts, real estate financing (Baufinanzierung), and instant credit (Sofortkredit up to 75,000 EUR). These are complemented by specialized add-on modules for the church and charity sector such as business accounts tailored to institutional needs, sustainability reporting services, card terminals for merchants, and asset management (Vermögensverwaltungen). The bank also offers sustainability-focused investment funds (Fonds mit Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie), a charitable foundation (KD-BANK-STIFTUNG), and a donation portal (KD-onlineSpende). The portfolio is rounded out by a basic account (Basiskonto) for underserved individuals and legal account switching services, positioning the bank as a full-service financial partner with a distinct ethical and sustainability focus rooted in Christian values.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KD-onlineSpende: Online donation portal connecting donors with charitable organizations
• KD-Nachhaltigkeitsfilter

Products and services

• Girocard (Debit Card) Standard debit card for cash withdrawals and payments, offered as part of core banking services for everyday transactions.
• OnlineBanking
• Geschäftskonto (Business Account)
• Baufinanzierung (Real Estate Financing)
• Sofortkredit (Instant Credit)
• Basiskonto (Basic Account)
• Private Banking
• Fonds mit Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie (Sustainability Strategy Funds)
• Vermögensverwaltungen (Asset Management)
• KD-onlineSpende (Donation Portal)
• KD-Bank-Stiftung (KD-Bank Foundation)
• Kartenterminals (Card Terminals)
• Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung (Sustainability Reporting Advisory)
• Kontowechselservice (Account Switching Service)
• VR-Profi-Broker (Securities Brokerage)

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• R+V VersicherungcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance partner providing coverage products through the KD-Bank. Customers can process insurance contract cancellations through the bank's partner portal.
• TeamBank (easyCredit)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsumer credit partner offering easyCredit installment loans through KD-Bank's platform. Integration for contract management and cancellation processes.
• Union InvestmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment fund partner offering sustainable fund products including funds with sustainability strategies for church and institutional investors.
• Bausparkasse Schwäbisch HallcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuilding society partner providing home savings and construction financing products as part of the cooperative financial network.
• DZ PRIVATBANKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate banking partner within the Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe offering wealth management and private banking services.
• Deutsches Privat Institut GenerationenBeratungminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGenerational consulting partner providing specialized advisory services for intergenerational wealth planning.
• GenoStoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner store within the cooperative banking network offering merchandise and financial products.
• Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe (Cooperative Financial Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKD-Bank is a member of the German cooperative banking network (Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe), which includes DZ BANK, VR smart Finanz, and other cooperative institutions. This provides access to shared technology, products, and market reach.
• KD-Bank-Stiftung (KD-Bank Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe bank's own foundation established to promote church and diaconal projects, creating social impact and community engagement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bank für Sozialwirtschaft: German specialized bank focused on the social economy, healthcare, and welfare institutions. Highly comparable to KD-Bank's diaconal-segment focus: serves hospitals, care homes, and social service providers with deposit, lending, and treasury services.
• EthikBank: German ethical bank operating with a values-based screening approach similar to KD-Bank's sustainability filter. Targets conscientious retail and institutional customers in Germany with comparable transparent, mission-driven banking services.
• UmweltBank: German ethical/sustainability-focused bank offering deposit and lending products with explicit environmental screening. Directly competes with KD-Bank's KD-Nachhaltigkeitsfilter value proposition and ethical-investment positioning in the German market.
• Triodos Bank: European sustainable bank with German operations. Comparable on ethical/sustainable deposit, lending, and investment offerings, though broader in geographic reach and not specialized to the church/diaconal niche KD-Bank serves.
• GLS Bank: Germany's largest sustainable/ethical bank, also cooperative-structured. Competes with KD-Bank on the ethical-banking value proposition across deposits, lending, and investment funds, though with broader social/environmental focus rather than church-specific specialization.
• LIGA Bank: German cooperative bank owned by Caritas and Catholic church-related organizations, also serving the social economy with church-related clientele. Highly comparable niche specialization to KD-Bank but from a Catholic denominational perspective.
• Evangelische Bank: Germany's other dedicated church bank (Protestant), formed via the 2023 merger with Pax-Bank. Directly comparable as a specialized depository institution serving church and diaconal/charitable institutions across Germany with ethical investment focus — same customer type and niche positioning as KD-Bank.

Broad incumbents

• DZ BANK: Central institution of the Genossenschaftliche Finanzgruppe cooperative banking network. KD-Bank is a member of this network; DZ BANK provides shared services, capital markets access, and the VR-Banking technology platform that KD-Bank uses, making it both partner and broad incumbent in cooperative banking.
• Sparkasse: Large German public-sector savings bank group providing full-service retail and commercial banking across Germany. A broad incumbent incumbent in the same German deposit/lending market, competing for retail and institutional deposits against KD-Bank.
• Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken: Broader German cooperative banking network of which KD-Bank is a specialized member institution. Operates the same cooperative model and shared technology stack, serving retail and SME markets across Germany outside the church/diaconal niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 KD-Bank