Trade Republic is the Berlin startup that disrupted German retail investing with a brilliantly simple pitch: one euro per trade, everything in one app. Now serving over 8 million customers across Europe with a full banking licence, it offers stocks, ETFs, crypto, and a savings account with 4% interest — all from a single German-regulated platform. This review covers its crypto features, fees, and whether it suits your investment style.
Germany's top neobroker — €1 trades, 4% EUR interest, BaFin licensed. Best for stocks + crypto combo investors.
Founded in Berlin in 2015 and launched publicly in 2019, Trade Republic became the fastest-growing neobroker in German history. The concept was radical in Germany's traditionally conservative investing culture: replace the expensive traditional bank broker (often charging €10–€20 per trade) with a smartphone app charging just €1 per trade. It worked spectacularly — by 2025 Trade Republic had crossed 8 million customers and obtained a full European banking licence from the Bundesbank and BaFin.
Trade Republic is a genuinely German company, headquartered in Berlin and regulated directly by BaFin. This is a meaningful distinction for investors who prefer a domestic regulatory relationship. The full banking licence (not just an investment services or crypto registration) means Trade Republic is subject to some of the strictest oversight in European finance. Verification is on the BaFin website.
Trade Republic added cryptocurrency trading to its platform as crypto demand surged among German retail investors. Currently around 50 major cryptocurrencies are available, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), Cardano (ADA), and other top-cap assets. The selection is more limited than pure crypto exchanges like Bitvavo (300+) or CEX.IO (200+), but covers the coins most German investors actually want to buy.
Importantly, Trade Republic does not allow withdrawals of crypto to external wallets. Your crypto holdings exist as positions within the Trade Republic system — you can buy and sell, but cannot send Bitcoin to your Ledger hardware wallet. This is a deliberate product decision that simplifies the experience but means Trade Republic is not suitable for investors who want self-custody of their crypto assets.
The €1 flat fee per trade is one of the most straightforward fee structures in European investing. Whether you're buying €50 of Bitcoin or €5,000 of ETH, you pay exactly one euro. For larger trades this represents an extraordinarily low percentage fee. For very small trades under €100, other platforms may actually be cheaper — but for trades above €200, the €1 flat fee is essentially unbeatable.
One of Trade Republic's most distinctive features is the 4% per year interest rate on uninvested EUR cash held on the platform (subject to ECB rate changes). For German investors who regularly deposit savings but wait for the right entry point, this means idle cash is generating returns in the meantime. This is a banking feature almost no pure crypto exchange offers and gives Trade Republic a meaningful edge for the long-term savings-oriented German investor.
Funding your Trade Republic account is done via SEPA transfer from your German bank account — free of charge. Trade Republic also issues a Visa debit card linked to your account balance, which you can use for everyday spending. This card integration further blurs the line between investing and banking, making Trade Republic a potential "everything" financial app for German users.
Trade Republic is optimised for simplicity. The app presents clean price charts, one-tap buy and sell buttons, and a straightforward portfolio view. There is no advanced trading interface, no order book, and no complex fee tiers. For a German investor opening their first crypto or investment account, Trade Republic's learning curve is the gentlest of any regulated platform on this list.
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto/Stock Trade | €1 flat | Per executed order, regardless of size |
| Custody Fee | Free | No monthly fee for holding assets |
| SEPA Deposit | Free | EUR bank transfer at no cost |
| SEPA Withdrawal | Free | Withdraw EUR to German bank free |
| EUR Cash Interest | 4% p.a. | On uninvested cash; ECB-linked rate |
| Crypto Withdrawal | Not available | Cannot withdraw crypto to external wallets |
| Trade Republic Card | Free | Visa debit card included with account |
Download Trade Republic from the App Store or Google Play. Register with your German mobile number and email. Identity verification uses your German ID or passport via the in-app VideoIdent process — typically completed in under 5 minutes.
Go to Account → Deposit and send a SEPA transfer from your German bank to your Trade Republic IBAN. Free of charge. Funds typically arrive the same or next business day. Your idle cash earns 4% annual interest while you decide when to invest.
Use the search bar to find Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any of the ~50 available cryptos. Tap Buy, enter your EUR amount, review the €1 fee, and confirm. The trade executes immediately during market hours.
Trade Republic's most popular feature is the automated Sparplan — a recurring buy that invests a fixed EUR amount weekly or monthly. You can create a crypto Sparplan for as little as €1, making it the easiest DCA tool for German investors. No fee beyond the €1 per execution.
