Berlin – October 30, 2026 -- Sparkasse is Germany's strongest bank brand with 67 points in the Markenstärke index, one point ahead of ING (66) and two ahead of Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken (65), according to the Markenradar® Banken 2026 from Berlin-based Delphi Research. The study surveyed 4,400 bank users aged 16 to 70, who rated 18 bank brands. Trade Republic is the strongest neobank in fourth place with 52 points.
Sparkasse leads Gen Z with 78 points while ING wins the 30-to-61 bracket
Sparkasse ranks first among the youngest and the oldest generations: clearly in Gen Z at 78 points, narrowly among baby boomers. ING leads among 30- to 61-year-olds.
Established direct banks reach Gen Z much less effectively. ING ranks only fifth in that group, behind Sparkasse, Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken, Revolut and Trade Republic.
Joerg Rech, head of quantitative research at Delphi Research, says Gen Z favors apps and is more open to AI, while boomers prioritize personal advice. Both groups want their money safe with a bank they trust. Young customers trust Sparkasse most when entering the financial world, whereas ING enjoys more trust among 30- to 61-year-olds.
Sparkasse reaches 89% familiarity but sits mid-field on attractiveness
The index combines brand presence with attractiveness among those who know the brand. Sparkasse is clearly ahead on presence, with 89% of respondents familiar with it. On attractiveness alone it sits mid-field.
ING is the most attractive brand, followed by Trade Republic, Scalable Capital, Revolut and C24. Among Gen Z, Sparkasse also ranks in the top three on attractiveness.
Perceived strength correlates mainly with credibility and fairness. "Low-priced" ranks only 15th among the 22 attributes measured.
Only 15% of bank customers trust AI tools with financial decisions
Respondents credit Trade Republic, Revolut and Scalable Capital with the most AI competence, while traditional branch banks trail. Overall, 15% generally trust AI tools for financial decisions, and 62% have concerns about the security of their financial data.
Roughly one in four Gen Z respondents trusts AI for financial decisions, against fewer than one in ten baby boomers. Two-thirds view it critically when AI gains increasing control over financial decisions. Just over a quarter of bank customers believe AI can make better financial decisions.
Rech says banks should position AI as an assistant that supports and explains rather than one that decides, because customers want to keep control over their money.
Fieldwork ran in July and August 2026, before the Revolut data incident reports
The online survey was representative by age, gender, education and region. Gen Z was deliberately oversampled and then weighted. The brand strength index was measured among respondents familiar with each brand. Fieldwork preceded reports about a data incident at Revolut.