Die Zweite Sparkasse

What Die Zweite Sparkasse does

Die Zweite Sparkasse is an Austrian specialized savings bank operating within the Erste Group and Austrian Sparkassen network, founded in 2004 to serve individuals who have fallen into financial difficulty. The institution provides a focused suite of basic financial services — checking accounts (Girokonten), insurance products (Versicherungen), and personal advisory services (Persönliche Beratung) — to a customer segment that mainstream Austrian banks typically exclude. Its purpose is financial rehabilitation rather than pure commercial return, and the bank explicitly positions itself as "Die Bank für Hoffnungsträger:innen" (the bank for people who carry hope).

The business model is built on a referral-driven acquisition channel: customers enter through partner social organizations (Partnerorganisationen) that work with people in financial distress, then receive in-person advisory support from the bank's approximately 24 employees. Revenue is generated through standard banking fees, insurance commissions, and advisory services, though specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is anchored by the broader Sparkassen branch network and Erste Group digital infrastructure, allowing the institution to operate without standalone branch investment. The bank has supported roughly 28,000 cumulative "second chances" over its 20-year history, and in 2024 celebrated its 20th anniversary alongside the #glaubandich² (believe in yourself) public campaign.

Strategically, Die Zweite Sparkasse is a mission-defined social-banking entity rather than a growth-stage financial product company. There is no disclosed proprietary technology, no AI/automation capability, no venture funding, and no stated intent to scale beyond Austria. Its competitive position rests on a regulatory and institutional mandate within the Sparkassen/Erste Group ecosystem and on a closed-loop referral network with social organizations — assets that are difficult for a new entrant to replicate but that also constrain the addressable market to a deliberately narrow, Austria-only segment.

Name

Die Zweite Sparkasse

Legal name

Die Zweite Sparkasse

Website

https://diezweitesparkasse.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Die Zweite Sparkasse is an Austrian second-chance savings bank within Erste Group that provides checking accounts, insurance, and personal advisory services to individuals in financial difficulty, acquiring customers through partner social organizations across Austria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Banking (Second-Chance Retail Banking)

NAICS

Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (522180), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSABAIAD

Account & Balance Services (Operating accounts, statements, eBAM)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Transaction Banking (Cash Management & Treasury Services)

SECONDARYFSABAAAJ

Retail Wealth & Bancassurance Distribution (Investment & Insurance via Bank)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Retail Banking

Keywords

• Social banking services
• Second-chance banking
• Financial inclusion banking
• Basic checking accounts
• Financial rehabilitation advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Banking Services: Die Zweite Sparkasse generates revenue through traditional banking services including current accounts (Girokonten), insurance products (Versicherungen), and personal advisory services. As a social banking institution focused on financial rehabilitation, the revenue model relies on providing essential banking services to underserved populations in Austria.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Die Zweite Sparkasse provides basic retail banking services — current accounts (Girokonten), insurance products (Versicherungen), and personal consulting/advisory — to individuals in Austria who have experienced financial difficulties. The bank combines these financial products with structured support delivered alongside partner social organizations to help customers regain control of their financial lives and return to stable financial circumstances.

Product overview

Die Zweite Sparkasse is a social banking initiative offering a unified suite of basic financial services to individuals in financial difficulty. The core offering consists of checking accounts (Girokonten), insurance products (Versicherungen), and personal consulting services (Persönliche Beratung). These products are provided in collaboration with partner organizations (Partnerorganisationen) to help clients regain control of their finances and achieve economic stability. The approach combines basic banking services with social support to address both immediate financial needs and long-term financial literacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #glaubandich²: Brand hashtag and campaign expressing the bank's philosophy of belief in second chances and personal financial recovery.

Products and services

• Girokonten (Checking Accounts)

Quantifiable outcome

• 28,000 second chances provided to customers over 20 years of operation

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Partnerorganisationen (Partner Organizations)coreOthersDie Zweite Sparkasse operates in partnership with various social organizations that support people experiencing financial difficulties. These partner organizations refer customers to the bank and provide additional social support services. The collaboration is fundamental to the bank's mission of holistic financial rehabilitation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Triodos Bank: Dutch-headquartered European sustainable bank operating across multiple countries with explicit social and inclusion mandates. Comparable as a values-led European bank embedding financial inclusion alongside mainstream sustainable banking products.
• Bank für Sozialwirtschaft: German social bank serving NGOs, social enterprises, and welfare organizations with mission-aligned banking. Directly comparable to Die Zweite Sparkasse as a regulated social banking institution providing basic accounts and advisory to financially vulnerable or underserved customers.
• Banca Etica: Italian ethical and transparent bank focused on social economy, environmental sustainability, and financial inclusion. Comparable mission and operating model as a European social bank serving customers and organizations typically excluded by mainstream finance.
• Alternative Bank Schweiz: Swiss alternative bank focused on ethical, social, and ecological banking. Comparable as a values-led European bank with a similar emphasis on serving financially excluded or mission-aligned customers across the DACH-adjacent region.

Broad incumbents

• Erste Group Bank AG: Parent organization and one of the largest retail banking groups in CEE, operating Erste Bank and Sparkassen franchises. Comparable as the broad incumbent that owns and provides the infrastructure, regulatory umbrella, and capital backing for Die Zweite Sparkasse.
• Erste Bank und Sparkassen (Austrian Sparkassen network): Austrian savings bank network providing mainstream retail banking under the same Sparkassen brand architecture. Comparable as the broad incumbent framework within which Die Zweite Sparkasse operates its specialized social banking mandate.

Regional players

• StepChange Debt Charity: UK-based debt advice charity providing counseling and structured debt solutions to financially distressed consumers. Comparable as an organization working with the same customer segment (individuals in financial difficulty) but operating in a different geography and as a non-profit advisor rather than a regulated bank.

Emerging players

• N26 Bank: German-headquartered digital bank with a strong Austrian presence offering low-fee accounts targeting underbanked and digital-first consumers. Comparable as an emerging player that overlaps with Die Zweite Sparkasse on basic account provision for financially thin customers, though without the explicit rehabilitation mandate.

Others

• FEBEA (European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks): Network of European ethical and alternative banks coordinating social banking initiatives across the continent. Comparable as an ecosystem and peer-network body relevant to Die Zweite Sparkasse's mission and potential cross-border scaling.
• Caritas Austria (Social Counseling): Austrian social welfare organization providing debt counseling and financial hardship support services. Comparable as a referral partner and ecosystem participant that channels financially distressed customers toward Die Zweite Sparkasse.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/die-zweite-sparkasse

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 Die Zweite Sparkasse