Notes on the register

Please take time to read the explanatory notes below before moving on to the ZAG register of institutions in accordance with sections 43 and 44 of the ZAG.

The database is updated daily. BaFin obtains the information to be published from the notifications to be submitted by the payment institutions and electronic money institutions in accordance with the ZAG. The information to be included in notifications for EU branches is set out in section 38 (1) of the ZAG. The information to be included in notifications for agents is set out in section 25 (1) of the ZAG. The payment institutions and electronic money institutions are responsible for ensuring that the information published in the register is complete, accurate and up-to-date.

The ZAG register of institutions only contains German ZAG institutions to which BaFin has granted authorisation or registration under the ZAG. CRR credit institutions which are permitted by law to provide payment services can be found in BaFin’s company database.

In addition to the above, please note the Standard Terms and Conditions of Use on BaFin's website.

Legal basis for and content of the register

The establishment of the register is a requirement set out in Article 14 of the revised Payment Services Directive of the European Union, which entered into force on 12 January 2016 (Directive (EU) 2015/2366 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on payment services in the internal market). EU Member States were required to transpose the provisions of this Directive into national law by 13 January 2018.

The revised Payment Services Directive stipulates that all Member States must establish a public register of authorised payment institutions, their agents and EU branches. The payment institutions are entered into the registers of their home Member States. As a result, this register contains only the institutions that have been granted authorisation or registration by BaFin to provide payment services, to conduct electronic money business or to provide account information services in Germany in accordance with the ZAG.

The ZAG regulates the supervision of payment services. The amended version of the ZAG entered into force on 13 January 2018.
CRR credit institutions that are authorised by law to provide payment services are not listed in the ZAG register of institutions. These can be found in BaFin’s company database.

The five sections of the register

a) Payment institutions

This section contains detailed information on the payment institution. This information can be accessed using the “Search ZAG institutions” tool (see “Further instructions” below). The entry for each payment institution specifies the scope of the authorisation granted, detailing which types of business as defined in the ZAG the payment institution is authorised to conduct. Payment institutions can be found in the register for a maximum of five years after their authorisation expires.

b) Registered payment institutions

This section contains detailed information on registered payment institutions which only provide account information services within the meaning of section 1 (1) sentence 2 no. 8 of the ZAG as a payment service and have therefore been granted registration by BaFin for this payment service in accordance with section 34 (1) of the ZAG.

c) Electronic money institutions

.Under Article 3(1) of the Second Electronic Money Directive (Directive 2009/110/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009) in conjunction with Article 14 of the revised Payment Services Directive (Directive (EU) 2015/2366 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015), Member States must establish a public register in which authorised electronic money institutions, their agents (agents within the meaning of section 1 (9) of the ZAG) and branches are entered. The institutions concerned are entered into the register of their home Member State. Section 44 of the ZAG transposes the obligation to maintain a register of electronic money institutions into German law. This ZAG register of institutions lists the electronic money institutions that are domiciled in the Federal Republic of Germany and supervised by BaFin as the home supervisory authority under the provisions of the ZAG.

Electronic money institution entered into this register are authorised to conduct electronic money business (section 1 (2) sentence 2 of the ZAG) which includes providing payment services (section 11 (1) sentence 2 number 1 in conjunction with section 1 (1) sentence 2 of the ZAG) and, in particular, the acquiring of payment transactions (section 1 (1) sentence 2 number 5 of the ZAG), providing payment initiation services (section 1 (1) sentence 2 number 7 of the ZAG) and providing account information services (section 1 (1) sentence 2 number 8 of the ZAG).

d) EU branches

This section covers the EU branches. The main offices of the branches are entered here. To access this information, use the “Search ZAG institutions” tool and click on the name of the EU branch you are looking for. The scope of the activities conducted by EU branches corresponds to the activities listed in the EU Directive. EU branches can be found in the register for a maximum period of up to five years after their activities have ceased. German branches of payment institutions are not listed in the register.

e) Agents

This section refers to the agents engaged by payment institutions and/or electronic money institutions in accordance with section 25 of the ZAG. You can access this information either by clicking on the agent’s name on the detailed information page on the payment institution or electronic money institution or by using the “Search agents” tool. The search results will give you a list of all agents acting on behalf of the payment institutions or electronic money institutions based on the information entered into the search text box. By clicking on the agent’s name, you will find detailed information on the payment institution or electronic money institution on whose behalf the agent is or was active. An agent may be acting on behalf of multiple payment institutions or electronic money institutions. Active and inactive agents can be found in the register for a maximum period of five years after ceasing their activities. Only the agents of German payment institutions and electronic money institutions operating in Germany or in other EU Member States can be found in the register. Agents in Germany acting on behalf of a payment institution authorised in another EU Member State are listed in the relevant register of the payment institution’s home country.

Further instructions

External users can use the following search options in the public register on BaFin’s website:

Search for agents

• Select a letter in the alphabetical list or click on “Other”
• Enter the name in the search field

• Placeholders (*,?) can be used in the search text box
  The search results will give you a list of all agents based on the information entered into the search text box, regardless of their affiliation to a payment institution or electronic money institution.

Search for BaFin-supervised payment institutions, registered payment institutions, electronic money institutions with branches in the EU (no branches in Germany), branches of companies domiciled outside the European Economic Area and agents (based in Germany and other EU Member States, not domiciled in third countries)

• Select a letter in the alphabetical list or click on “Other”
• Select one of the four categories using the filter
• Enter the name in the search field
• You can also enter the name of the EU branch
• Placeholders (*,?) can be used in the search text box

Direct link to the register

Register of payment institutions under sections 43 and 44 of the ZAG