The total number of credit institutions in Germany (including legally dependent building and loan associations) fell by a net figure of 55 throughout the year, from 1,458 to 1,403 institutions (total numbers for comparison: 2021: 1,519 institutions; 2016: 1,888 institutions;2011: 2,080 institutions). While the consolidation process had been subdued, especially as of 2008, it has tended to pick up pace again since 2016 – partly due to idiosyncratic factors: the coronavirus crisis, the entry into force of Brexit and the introduction of the Investment Institutions Act (Wertpapierinstitutsgesetz).

In the reporting year, there were 63 exits versus 8 entries. The exits comprised 52 mergers (previous year: 55 – mainly in the cooperative sector), 8 cases where licences were relinquished and 2 cases where licences were revoked, plus 1 insolvency.