Business · Companies · 5 hrs ago
Trade Republic plans fee-free retirement account ahead of 2027 launch
Germany’s new retirement investment account replaces Riester for new contracts from 2027.
It will let savers invest in ETFs and receive government support, including a basic allowance of up to €540 a year and up to €300 extra per child.
Trade Republic says it will charge no account or savings-plan fees and plans to offer about 50 ETFs without ongoing product costs.
CEO Christian Hecker urges the company’s roughly five million customers to invest for themselves, arguing that bank advisers may sell costly products.
He says the free offer is intended to attract customers who may later use other Trade Republic products, though rival Scalable Capital has also announced a fee-free account.
The change matters because about 14.7 million Riester contracts held an estimated €240 billion at the end of 2025, and customers will be able to move into the new system.
ETF investments can lose value, and not every saver will receive the full state support.
Trade Republic plans to offer a retirement savings account with no account or savings-plan fees.
The new state-supported retirement savings account is due to replace Riester pensions for new contracts from 1 January 2027.
The account will let savers invest in ETFs and may include about 50 ETFs with no ongoing product costs.
Trade Republic CEO Christian Hecker said the company expects not to make or lose money directly on the account.
Investing in ETFs carries the risk of losses, and not every saver will automatically receive the full state subsidy.
- Who
- Trade Republic, led by CEO Christian Hecker, plans to offer the account.
- What
- A retirement savings account with no account or savings-plan fees, offering ETF investments.
- When
- It is due to launch on 1 January 2027.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- The account is intended to let savers invest in the new state-supported retirement savings system. Hecker said the company hopes customers will later use other products.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Scalable Capital announced a fee-free standard account, with ETF costs also waived in the first year.
Germany had about 14.7 million Riester contracts, with an estimated €240 billion in assets.
The new retirement savings account is due to begin, replacing Riester for new contracts.
- Launch date
- 1 January 2027
- Planned account fees
- No account or savings-plan fees in the long term
- ETFs with no ongoing product costs
- About 50
- Riester contracts at end of 2025
- About 14.7 million
- Estimated Riester assets at end of 2025
- €240 billion
What people are saying
Advisers are often there to sell expensive products.
Don’t be misled. Do it yourself.
The free retirement savings account is a long-term promise.
We don’t make money from it. But we don’t lose any either.
Sources
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