Bitcoin.de vs Scalable Capital Comparison

Bitcoin.de is regarded as a pioneer among German crypto marketplaces and has been active since 2011, making the platform one of the oldest providers in the German-speaking market; it says it has more than 1.1 million customers. The principle that euro balances remain in the user’s own bank account is viewed positively by security-conscious users.

Trading has largely been suspended since 12 June 2026, and deposits are paused as well. On 6 October 2026 the parent company Bitcoin Group SE announced that BaFin had not granted the application futurum bank AG filed on 27 June 2025 for authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCAR; this also ends the toleration under which its crypto services had been running. The bank can lodge an objection within one month of notification. For the restart, bitcoin.de is preparing a cooperation with two regulated partners based in Germany, an institution acting as trading partner and a custodian; the provider has not given a date (customer notice dated 7 October 2026). Until the transfer, futurum bank AG continues to hold the crypto assets, and withdrawals to your own wallets remain possible.

The selection of just 10 cryptocurrencies is clearly room for improvement compared with modern exchanges. The limitation to SEPA as the only payment method, the lack of a mobile app, and 2FA protection only via SMS are also occasionally criticized. Some users consider the interface in need of modernization. According to the provider, the new platform with apps for iOS and Android, more than 100 cryptocurrencies, savings plans, swaps and staking is technically complete, but it will only launch with the new operating model.

As long as trading is paused, Bitcoin.de is not an option for new purchases; existing customers can withdraw their crypto assets to their own wallets. After the announced restart, the platform will mainly appeal to investors who want to rely on a long-established German provider; fees and coin selection under the new model have not yet been published.

Scalable Capital has made a name for itself in the DACH region primarily as a robo-advisor and ETF broker and has also offered crypto since December 2021. Since September 2025 the company has been a full bank: Scalable Capital Bank GmbH in Munich received the ECB licence for deposit and lending business and is supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank. Since March 2026 it has also been listed in ESMA's MiCA register with a notification for advice on crypto-assets. According to its September 2026 fact sheet, Scalable serves more than one million customers with over €60 billion in assets.

The crypto offering covers 32 cryptocurrencies, which are not traded as coins but through crypto ETPs on regulated exchanges. No wallet or private keys are needed; in return, holdings cannot be moved to your own wallet, and trading is limited to exchange hours. Savings plans from €1 make for a particularly low-threshold entry, and some ETPs add staking rewards. Besides the €0.99 order fee there is a 0.99% spread markup, or 0.69% with the PRIME+ subscription at €4.99 a month. Since September 2026, orders via Xetra and gettex have cost a flat €1.99.

For investors who mainly put money into stocks and ETFs and want to hold crypto as an addition in the same securities account, Scalable Capital is a practical solution. Anyone who wants to hold actual coins, move them to their own wallet or trade around the clock is better served by a crypto exchange.