The total number of credit institutions in Germany (including legally dependent building and loan associations) fell by 35 net to 1,368 institutions over the course of the year from 1,403 (total number by comparison: 2019: 1,717 institutions; 2014: 1,990 institutions). While the consolidation process has been subdued since 2008 in particular, it has tended to increase at a faster pace from 2020 to 2023 – especially due to special factors: The coronavirus pandemic, the entry into force of Brexit and the introduction of the Securities Institutions Act (Wertpapierinstitutsgesetz – WpIG). In 2024, however, this trend slowed down.
In the reporting year, 45 departures (which were offset by ten additions) were made up of 33 (previous year: 52) mergers (previous year: 52 – predominantly in the cooperative sector), eight licence repayments, one licence withdrawal and three reclassifications within the cooperative sector.