Bankingclub

Bankingclub is a German-language online and offline community for the banking and financial services industry, founded in Cologne in 2005 by Thorsten Hahn. It began as a professional network on platforms such as XING, Twitter and Facebook, and since 2007 has been consolidated on its own website, bankingclub.de. The club describes itself as a closed network and was one of the largest in the European banking sector, with more than 72,000 members in 2011. Membership is free for employees of banks, financial service providers, fintechs and insurers; as of 2022 the club reported around 3,000 members, while its XING group had around 55,000 members. The core business consists of regularly held club evenings in major German cities, as well as congresses on topics such as customer relationship management, risk management, online marketing, information technology and compliance for banks. Paid events supplement the free membership model. Bankingclub is also the publisher of the online magazine Bankingnews, which according to its published media data was distributed six times a year with a circulation of around 13,000 copies as of Q1 2022. The website bankingclub.de combines news, events, a company directory, a job board, studies, lectures and a shop. Its editorial coverage focuses on banking news, payments, innovation, AI, blockchain, open finance and retirement provision. The platform positions itself as a meeting point and information hub for the German-speaking banking community, connecting professionals through events, publications and digital networking.

Bankingclub was founded in 2005 by Thorsten Hahn in Cologne, Germany. Hahn, a trained bank clerk with 35 years in the banking industry, started the initiative as a professional network for the German-speaking banking sector. The online activities grew rapidly on social networks such as XING, Twitter and Facebook, reaching several tens of thousands of members, and since 2007 these activities have been consolidated on the club's own website, bankingclub.de. By 2011 the network had more than 72,000 members, making it one of the largest communities in the European banking industry. In that year, founder Thorsten Hahn was the most connected person among the 10.8 million members on the XING platform, with 35,266 contacts. Over time, Bankingclub developed from a purely online network into an event and media organization. It began organizing regular club evenings in major German cities and expanded into congresses on topics such as customer relationship management, risk management, online marketing, information technology and compliance for banks. It also became the publisher of the online magazine Bankingnews. As of 2022, the club reported around 3,000 members with free memberships for employees of banks, financial service providers, fintechs and insurers, while its XING group had around 55,000 members. Bankingnews, according to its published media data, was distributed six times a year with a circulation of around 13,000 copies as of Q1 2022. The website bankingclub.de now serves as a hub offering news, events, a company directory, a job board, studies, lectures and a shop. Its editorial content covers banking news, payments, innovation, AI, blockchain, open finance and retirement provision. The club continues to organize events such as the CORPORATE BANKING kompakt congress, which was scheduled for 22 September 2026 in Cologne but has been cancelled for the time being, and FinTraWorld, for which project management and sales are handled by Severine Löchte.

• 2026

  CORPORATE BANKING kompakt congress scheduled for 22 September 2026 in Cologne, currently cancelled.

• 2025

  Maria Scherban joins as editor after completing her traineeship at Bankingclub.

• 2024

  Bankingclub publishes article on 100 years of World Savings Day.

• 2023

  Severine Löchte joins Bankingclub in sales and takes over project management of FinTraWorld.

• 2022

  Club reports around 3,000 members and XING group around 55,000 members; Bankingnews circulation around 13,000 copies six times a year.

• 2011

  Network reaches more than 72,000 members; founder Thorsten Hahn becomes the most connected person on XING with 35,266 contacts.

• 2007

  Online activities consolidated on the club's own website bankingclub.de.

• 2005

  Bankingclub founded by Thorsten Hahn in Cologne.

A closed professional network and trade media platform for the German-speaking banking industry, combining free membership, paid events and editorial content.

• Bankingclub membership

  Free membership for employees of banks, financial service providers, fintechs and insurers.

• Club evenings

  Regular networking events in major German cities.

• Industry congresses

  Congresses on CRM, risk management, online marketing, IT and compliance for banks.

• Bankingnews

  Online magazine published six times a year with a circulation of around 13,000 copies (Q1 2022).

• Company directory

  Directory of companies in the banking and financial sector.

• Job board

  Job listings for the banking industry.

• Studies and lectures

  Studies and lectures on banking topics.

• Shop

  Online shop for club-related products.

1. 1Homepage - BANKINGCLUBbankingclub.de
2. 2Über uns - BANKINGCLUBbankingclub.de
3. 3CORPORATE BANKING kompakt - BANKINGCLUBbankingclub.de
4. 4100 Jahre Weltspartag: Ein Blick auf Geschichte und Bedeutung - BANKINGCLUBbankingclub.de
5. 5Bankingclub - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
6. 6Bankingclub - Wikidatawikidata.org