Trade Republic plans to launch a free retirement investment account in Germany in January 2027, using the country’s pension reform to compete on price for savings that could remain on its platform for decades.
The Berlin-based neobroker said it would charge no custody or regular savings-plan execution fees. It also plans to remove fund costs from several dozen selected ETFs supplied by BlackRock, DWS and Vanguard.
Eligible customers could receive government support of up to €540 per year, plus up to €300 annually for each child. People who open an account before turning 25 may also qualify for a one-time €200 starter bonus.
The final amount will depend on the customer’s contributions and personal circumstances.
Reform Opens Pension Savings to Market Investing
Germany’s reform creates a new type of subsidised retirement account designed to lower costs and give savers greater investment choice.
The standard version will carry a 1% cost ceiling, while Trade Republic plans to go further by waiving custody and regular savings-plan execution fees. Selected ETFs will also be offered without fund costs “over the long term.”
The new accounts will allow customers to invest subsidised contributions in equity funds and ETFs without the capital guarantee required under the previous system.
This provides greater exposure to potential market returns, but also means the value of retirement savings can fall.
Investment gains will accumulate without current taxation during the saving period, while qualifying contributions may receive government allowances and tax deductions.
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Other Brokers Move into Pension Accounts
Trade Republic is one of several European brokers expanding into retirement savings. In Germany, Scalable Capital has announced both a standard pension account and a self-directed version.
Account administration and savings plans will be free, while the fund costs of selected ETFs from BlackRock, DWS, Vanguard and Scalable will be reimbursed and reinvested.
Outside Germany, Trading 212 recently secured FCA approval to offer self-invested personal pensions in the UK. The British and German products operate under different tax and regulatory systems, but both add tax-advantaged retirement savings to platforms built primarily around retail investing.
For Trade Republic, the pension account continues its expansion beyond transactional brokerage into longer-term savings and banking services. The company has also introduced current accounts in markets including Greece.
Germany enacted the reform in May, and the new products are due to become available from 1 January 2027.
The full scope of its fee-free offer will become clearer when the company publishes the eligible ETF list, the duration of the fund-cost waiver and the detailed terms before launch.
