Germany’s fast-growing Affluent segment is beginning to redefine the country’s wealth landscape, creating one of Europe’s most significant opportunities for banks and wealth managers.
fincite, which offers software to revolutionise investment advice, recently delved into the affluent opportunity in Germany.
New research from BCG and Deutsche Bank’s Private Banking Report shows that 8.8 million Germans now fall into this category, holding between €100k and €2m in investable onshore assets. Collectively, this group controls more than €1.7tn, a scale that has largely gone unnoticed within traditional banking frameworks.
Despite the size of this segment, many receive little meaningful support. The challenge stems from service models that continue to split customers into basic retail offerings or high-touch private banking, leaving a vast population underserved, it said.
Affluent clients differ sharply from the older, wealthier customers who dominate private banking. Research from the HSBC Affluent Investor Snapshot 2025 shows that 83% of the group are actively employed or self-employed, compared with a predominantly retired high-net-worth base. They manage their money digitally, take a hands-on approach to investments, and often pursue financial independence rather than luxury lifestyles. Yet they are also highly cost-sensitive and well-researched, making them more likely to use self-directed tools when traditional services fail to meet expectations. For banks, adapting to these behaviours has become a strategic necessity.
A generational wealth shift is set to intensify this transition. Capgemini’s World Wealth Report 2025 estimates that €90tn in global assets will move to younger heirs by 2035, with 63% of that total transferring within the next decade.
Expectations among affluents are also rising. Studies from HSBC, Capgemini and the Fincite WealthTech Radar 2025 highlight a demand for seamless digital experiences combined with human advice on demand, deeper personalisation, and broader investment options that balance growth and protection. They also want holistic asset overviews, real-time financial planning tools, intelligent portfolio insights and unrestricted access across devices and channels. In effect, they want a private banking experience delivered through digital means.
Wealth managers already investing in modern, scalable platforms are beginning to capture this momentum, winning new affluent clients and establishing loyalty ahead of the impending wealth transfer, fincite explianed. The shift requires banks to move beyond fragmented processes and adopt integrated, efficient ecosystems.
Fincite said it supports institutions across Europe in making this transition. With its SaaS platform, fincite • cios, the company said it enables banks to link onboarding, advisory, investment and reporting workflows, helping them deliver the digital, personalised service this rising segment now expects.
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