On October 21st, a new chapter unfolded in the Fintech Visits DG FISMA series—an initiative led by the European Digital Finance Association (EDFA) in collaboration with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA). This ongoing cycle of meetings is designed to foster dialogue between national fintech ecosystems and European policymakers, offering a unique platform to share insights, challenges, and opportunities across borders.
This edition spotlighted Germany, with a delegation coordinated by Digital Invest Germany and represented by Karsten Wenzlaff, who provided institutional framing and context for the German fintech landscape. The session featured a dynamic exchange between DG FISMA officials and several German fintech companies—Cashlink, Nyala, 21X, and Portagon—all members of the national ecosystem.
Digital Invest Germany provided a snapshot of the national digital investing landscape. Since 2015, approximately €4 billion has been invested via digital platforms, with a strong focus on real estate, renewable energy, startups, and SMEs. Today, around 40 platforms operate in the German market for digital investing and lending. Of these, about 10 hold a European Crowdfunding Service Provider (ECSP) license, enabling cross-border activity under the EU framework. The remaining platforms operate under national regimes, primarily through asset brokerage licenses or the German Crowdfunding Exemption, which allows for streamlined issuance under specific thresholds.
Each company offered an overview of their business models and regulatory touchpoints, painting a vivid picture of the German fintech sector’s diversity and maturity. From tokenization infrastructure to digital securities platforms, the presentations underscored Germany’s role as a key innovator in the European digital finance space.
The discussion also touched on regulatory harmonization, market fragmentation, and the importance of maintaining an open channel between innovators and institutions. As always, the goal remains clear: to ensure that Europe’s regulatory framework evolves in step with technological progress, without losing sight of proportionality, competitiveness, and cross-border scalability.
National Ecosystems and a Unified European Voice
This meeting reaffirmed the value of structured, recurring engagement between fintech actors and EU institutions. It also highlighted the strength of national ecosystems when they speak with a unified voice, sharing not only their achievements but also their regulatory needs and strategic priorities.