Anyone wishing to conduct one or more of the banking activities specified in the Banking Act on a commercial scale in Germany requires authorisation from the competent supervisory authority.

Anyone intending to acquire a significant holding in an institution or to increase an existing significant holding beyond certain thresholds must report this in writing without delay to BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank.

Under CRD IV, higher corporate governance requirements have been introduced as one of the lessons learned from the recent financial market crisis.