Trade Republic has named Brad Pitt as its global brand ambassador and is rolling out the largest marketing campaign in the company's history, the Berlin-based neobroker said today (Tuesday). The push goes live immediately on television, streaming platforms, and digital channels across Europe.
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The campaign, built in-house, opens with the two-time Oscar winner walking into an empty black room and staring straight into the camera without saying a word.
A voiceover handles the pitch instead, listing three product benefits Trade Republic wants viewers to weigh against their bank: a free account with a card, 2% interest on cash, and the ability to invest from one euro.
The spot closes on a single question, "What does your bank offer?"
The Pitch Goes After the High-Street Bank
Christian Hecker, co-founder of Trade Republic, framed the campaign as a direct shot at incumbent retail banks.
"Most people in Europe are still with a bank that charges fees that are too high and offers interest rates that are too low. Trade Republic offers people the most for their money today. That is exactly what we want to show as simply and clearly as possible," he said in the announcement.
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The company said more than 10 million customers across Europe already use its platform, which now manages over €150 billion in assets, building on a €12.5 billion December secondary round that made the firm Germany's most valuable startup.
Trade Republic positions itself as a modern alternative to traditional retail banks, citing commission-free savings plans, the 2% cash rate without a cap, fractional investing from one euro, and a 24/7 customer service line the firm recently introduced.
Sports Stars Still Rule the Retail Trading Playbook
Pitt's signing puts Trade Republic in unfamiliar territory for the sector. The retail trading industry has, for years, leaned almost exclusively on athletes to sell its products, and the roster of names has only widened.
Polish-listed XTB has built its ambassador bench around Conor McGregor, Iker Casillas, and Zlatan Ibrahimović, with the Swedish striker becoming its global face in September 2024 alongside a refreshed logo and the firm's 20th anniversary, before fronting XTB's largest-ever campaign across 13 markets in September 2025.
Other recent additions to the trading industry's sports lineup include Mike Tyson, who joined NAGA Group in November 2024, and Portuguese football icon Luis Figo, who signed with offshore CFD broker TenTrade in April.
OANDA has used Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, AvaTrade and XM have both deployed Usain Bolt at different points, Tickmill has Jonty Rhodes, and CFI Financial has Lewis Hamilton.
Actors aren't unprecedented in the category, though they remain less common than athletes. XTB itself signed Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen in 2016 for a TV campaign titled "I trade. I love it.", and eToro hired Alec Baldwin in 2019 to front its CopyTrader commercial in the United States, a move the Israeli broker followed with a Super Bowl LVI slot in 2022.
Customer Base Has Doubled While Product Range Has Broadened
Trade Republic is going into the campaign from a position of scale. The firm reported €34.8 million in profit for the year ending September 2024 and €340 million in revenue, its first full year operating under a European Central Bank banking license.
Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, Wellington Management, Singapore's GIC, and Fidelity all joined or expanded their stakes through the December secondary round.
Customer growth has also accelerated, with the user base doubling to 8 million in 2024 and crossing 10 million in the months since.
The company has pushed beyond its original brokerage model into current accounts with local IBANs, bond ETFs, crypto, and access to private markets through partnerships with Apollo and EQT. Hecker has described that shift as a move from brokerage into wealth management.
