Deutsche Kreditbank

Deutsche Kreditbank AG, commonly known as DKB, is a German banking brand headquartered in Berlin. It was established on 19 March 1990, shortly before German reunification, and is described as the first private bank founded in East Germany. The bank began operations on 1 April 1990 and initially served a broad range of customers, including companies, consumers, and public-sector institutions. Its early ownership was divided among the Staatsbank of the German Democratic Republic, cooperative and state-owned commercial organizations, and other founding shareholders. Following the transfer of Staatsbank-related holdings to the Treuhandanstalt, the German privatization agency became DKB’s sole owner at the beginning of 1993. After the Treuhandanstalt was dissolved, DKB was briefly held by the Federal Ministry of Finance and was sold to Bayerische Landesbank on 31 January 1995. It has remained part of the BayernLB group. DKB operates primarily as a direct bank, with a relatively small branch network compared with traditional German retail banks. Its principal customer groups are private customers, business customers, and public-sector clients. The bank’s retail offering has included current accounts, savings products, consumer and installment loans, residential real-estate finance, payment cards, securities brokerage, and related digital services. Its best-known retail product has historically been the DKB Cash current account. DKB has also operated specialist and affiliated brands, including SKG Bank as a DKB brand and DKB Grund, a property-related subsidiary. BayernLB’s Miles & More credit-card business was transferred to DKB in 2008, expanding the bank’s role in co-branded payment products. The brand’s competitive identity has been built around remote banking, online account management, broad ATM access through partner networks, and relatively low-friction digital service. DKB has invested in online and mobile banking capabilities and has worked with technology companies on account switching, peer-to-peer payments, video identification, and mobile bill processing. Since 2014, customers have been able to access PayPal transaction information through DKB online banking, while pushTAN and chipTAN were introduced as alternatives to the earlier iTAN process. The bank’s limited branch footprint has made its digital channels especially important for customer acquisition and service delivery. DKB is also an institutional issuer. It regularly accesses capital markets with bonds and covered bonds and has developed a presence in sustainable finance. In 2016, it issued its first green bond, supported by an external sustainability assessment and Climate Bonds Initiative certification. DKB’s lending and capital-markets activities complement its retail franchise and its financing of companies, housing, infrastructure, municipalities, and other public-interest sectors. Beyond banking, DKB has maintained a visible sponsorship and social-engagement profile in Germany. It established the DKB Foundation for Social Engagement in 2004 and has supported protected heritage sites, including Schloss Liebenberg. The bank has sponsored German athletes, sports clubs, and leagues, especially in Berlin and in winter and athletics sports. Its naming-rights and sponsorship portfolio has included venues and competitions associated with handball, biathlon, football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, athletics, and equestrian sport. In 2017, DKB acquired exclusive German internet broadcasting rights for the men’s handball world championship after negotiations with conventional broadcasters and internet providers did not produce an arrangement. DKB remains a Germany-focused digital banking brand within BayernLB rather than a broadly international retail bank.

Deutsche Kreditbank was founded on 19 March 1990 as a stock corporation and became operational on 1 April 1990. Its creation took place during the final phase of the German Democratic Republic and made it the first private bank established in East Germany. Edgar Most, who had served as the last vice president of the GDR’s Staatsbank, was among the founders. Initial shareholders included the Staatsbank, the Verband deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften, Interhotels, Centrum Warenhaus, and VEB Synthesewerk Schwarzheide. The bank was designed from the outset to serve both commercial and retail customers rather than a single specialist segment. On 21 June 1990, liabilities associated with the Staatsbank were transferred to DKB and the Staatsbank’s shares were assigned to the Treuhandanstalt. During the currency union and subsequent restructuring of the East German banking system, substantial parts of the former state banking business, customer relationships, and real-estate holdings were transferred or sold to Dresdner Bank and Deutsche Bank. Some operations temporarily used names incorporating Dresdner Bank Kreditbank or Deutsche Bank Kreditbank. The Federal Audit Office later criticized certain transaction prices for branch buildings and other properties as unreasonably low. These transactions formed part of the wider privatization and reorganization of East German financial assets. The Treuhandanstalt acquired the remaining DKB shares and became the sole owner at the beginning of 1993. When the agency was wound up at the end of 1994, DKB was briefly held by the Federal Ministry of Finance. On 31 January 1995, the bank was sold to Bayerische Landesbank, establishing the ownership relationship that continues through the BayernLB group. In the following decades, DKB developed a hybrid model combining specialized corporate and public-sector financing with direct-to-customer retail banking. The bank maintained only a limited number of branches, while its consumer proposition centered on telephone, online, and later mobile channels. DKB expanded its product range to include current accounts, savings, real-estate finance, installment loans, brokerage, cards, and digital payment services. SKG Bank ceased to operate as an independent stock corporation in 2015 and became a DKB branch and brand. DKB Immobilien AG was sold to TAG Immobilien AG in 2012, while DKB Grund continued as a property-related subsidiary. Digitalization became a central strategic theme. DKB worked with specialist technology companies on account switching, peer-to-peer transfers, video identification, and mobile bill processing. It also introduced pushTAN and chipTAN in 2014 as alternatives to iTAN. The bank’s digital model enabled a large customer base to be served with fewer physical locations, although it also made pricing, authentication, ATM access, and platform reliability important elements of the customer proposition. DKB has remained active in capital markets, issuing ordinary and covered bonds. Its sustainability-finance profile expanded with the launch of a green bond in 2016. Separately, the bank built a substantial social and sports sponsorship program. The DKB Foundation for Social Engagement was founded in 2004, and the bank supported heritage conservation as well as athletes, clubs, venues, and competitions. In 2017, its acquisition of German online broadcasting rights for the men’s handball world championship demonstrated how the brand used digital distribution and sponsorship together. DKB continues to operate as a Germany-focused direct bank under Bayerische Landesbank.

1. 2017Handball world championship digital broadcast

   DKB acquired exclusive German internet broadcasting rights for the men’s handball world championship.

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2. 2016First green bond

   DKB issued its first green bond and obtained external sustainability-related assessments and certification.

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3. 2015SKG Bank becomes a DKB brand

   SKG Bank ceased to be an independent stock corporation and became a branch and brand of DKB.

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4. 2014New digital authentication options

   DKB introduced pushTAN and chipTAN for existing customers as alternatives to iTAN.

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5. 2012DKB Immobilien AG sold

   DKB Immobilien AG was sold to TAG Immobilien AG.

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6. 2008Miles & More card transferred to DKB

   DKB took over the Miles & More credit card previously issued by BayernLB with Lufthansa.

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7. 2004DKB Foundation established

   The bank founded the DKB Foundation for Social Engagement to support social and heritage-related activities.

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8. 1995Sale to Bayerische Landesbank

   DKB was sold to Bayerische Landesbank after a short period under the Federal Ministry of Finance.

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9. 1993Treuhandanstalt becomes sole owner

   The Treuhandanstalt acquired the remaining shares and became DKB’s sole owner.

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10. 1990Foundation and start of operations

    DKB was founded on 19 March and began operations on 1 April as an East German private bank serving business and retail customers.

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A digital-first German direct bank combining retail banking convenience with business, real-estate, infrastructure, and public-sector financing.

• DKB Cash current accountRetail banking

  DKB Cash has been the bank’s best-known retail product and represents its direct-bank proposition. The account is integrated with online and mobile banking and has historically been marketed together with payment-card and ATM-access features. It provides the core relationship through which customers can use DKB’s savings, lending, payment, and investment services.

• DKB online and mobile bankingDigital banking

  DKB’s digital channels support account management, payments, authentication, and service functions without requiring a large branch network. The bank has worked with technology providers on mobile bill processing, account switching, video identification, and peer-to-peer payments. PayPal transaction access and TAN alternatives form part of the broader digital-service offering.

• DKB residential real-estate financingLending

  Residential real-estate finance is one of DKB’s principal lending products for private customers. It complements the bank’s broader property and infrastructure-financing activities and forms part of its effort to serve customers beyond payments and deposits.

• DKB Green BondCapital markets2016

  The DKB Green Bond was the bank’s first green-bond issuance. It was supported by an external sustainability opinion and received a Climate Bonds Initiative label, linking DKB’s capital-markets funding with eligible environmental financing.

• Miles & More credit cardPayment cards2008

  DKB took over the Miles & More credit card in 2008 from BayernLB’s previous arrangement with Lufthansa. The transfer expanded DKB’s role in co-branded payment services and connected the bank with Lufthansa’s frequent-flyer ecosystem.

• 2017Digital broadcast of the men’s handball world championship

  Germany

  DKB acquired exclusive German online broadcasting rights for the 2017 men’s handball world championship and streamed matches through a sponsor-led digital platform.

  Outcome. The event generated substantial website traffic and represented an unusual combination of sports sponsorship and internet distribution.

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• 2012Handball-Bundesliga naming sponsorship

  Germany

  Beginning with the 2012–13 season, DKB became naming sponsor of the German Handball-Bundesliga and also supported 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam.

  Outcome. The sponsorship increased DKB’s visibility in German team sports.

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• 2007DKB-Ski-Arena naming partnership

  Germany

  DKB acquired naming rights for the biathlon stadium in Oberhof, strengthening its association with German winter sports.

  Outcome. The venue carried the DKB-Ski-Arena name.

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• 2007DKB-Arena naming partnership

  Germany

  DKB became sponsor and namesake of the Rostock football stadium, now known as Ostseestadion.

  Outcome. The naming arrangement ran through 2015.

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• 2004DKB Foundation for Social Engagement

  Germany

  The foundation was created to support socially engaged projects and operate heritage-protected properties such as Schloss Liebenberg.

  Outcome. DKB established a dedicated vehicle for social and heritage activities.

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• 2002DKB sports sponsorship program

  Germany

  DKB began supporting German elite athletes, sports clubs, and leagues, with particular visibility in Berlin and winter sports.

  Outcome. The program became a long-running part of DKB’s public brand profile.

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• 2016Enter the green-bond marketProduct launch

  DKB regularly funds itself through capital-market issuance and was developing a sustainability-finance profile.

  What changed. The bank issued its first green bond and obtained external sustainability-related validation.

  Aftermath. The issuance expanded DKB’s sustainable-finance and institutional-investor positioning.

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• 2014Expand secure digital authenticationStrategy

  DKB’s direct-bank model required secure remote authentication for online transactions.

  What changed. The bank offered pushTAN and chipTAN as alternatives to iTAN for existing customers.

  Aftermath. The change broadened the authentication options available through DKB’s digital banking channels.

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• 1995Join Bayerische LandesbankM&A

  After the Treuhandanstalt was dissolved, DKB was temporarily held by the Federal Ministry of Finance and then offered for sale.

  What changed. Bayerische Landesbank acquired DKB on 31 January 1995.

  Aftermath. DKB became part of the BayernLB group and continued developing as a Germany-focused banking brand.

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• 2017DKB secures German internet rights for the 2017 men’s handball world championship

  DKB obtained exclusive German live-streaming rights for the tournament, making the event available online through a sponsor-led distribution model.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2016DKB launches its first green bond

  The bank issued its first green bond, with external sustainability assessment and Climate Bonds Initiative certification.

  Product launch
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• 2008DKB takes over the Miles & More credit card

  DKB assumed responsibility for the Miles & More credit card previously issued by BayernLB in cooperation with Lufthansa.

  Product generation
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• 1995Bayerische Landesbank acquires Deutsche Kreditbank

  Following the end of Treuhand ownership, DKB was sold to Bayerische Landesbank and became part of the BayernLB group.

  M&A
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• 1990Deutsche Kreditbank is established in East Germany

  DKB was founded as a stock corporation on 19 March 1990 and began banking operations in April of the same year.

  Other
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1. Deutsche Kreditbank
2. Deutsche Kreditbank official website