Ascory Bank enters its phase of growth: Solid first half of 2026 and reorganization of the Management Board

• Half-year result of EUR 1.8 million confirms successful transformation
• New management structure established for growth phase
• Succession plan ensures continuity and scalability

Hamburg, 25/08/26 – Following the completion of key transformation measures last year, the operational performance in the first half of 2026 confirms Ascory Bank’s new strategic direction. At the same time, the bank is strengthening its management structure and reorganizing it with a view to the future.

Successful start to the 2026 financial year

Ascory Bank has made a successful start to the 2026 financial year and is consistently pursuing its strategic development course. The first half of the year went according to the Management Board’s plans and expectations, particularly in the structured lending business. At the same time, the bank is increasingly benefiting from the organizational and cost structure established last year, the positive effects of which are now also reflected in its earnings performance.

In the first six months, Ascory Bank generated a pre-tax profit of EUR 1.8 million, thereby achieving a large proportion of the previous year’s total profit of EUR 2.0 million. Due to one-off tax effects in the first half of the year, the half-year net profit also amounts to around EUR 1.8 million, which is significantly higher than the previous year’s figure.

Customer business also developed positively and remained on a growth path in the first half of 2026. Loan receivables on the balance sheet totaled EUR 507 million as of 30 June 2026 (+5 % compared with 2025). At the same time, the bank systematically expanded its economic loan exposure through loan investments in line with its strategy. Including these activities, the economic loan exposure in the customer business reached around EUR 554 million. Compared with the end of 2025, this represents growth of around 15 %. At the same time, customer deposits rose from EUR 923 million as of 31 December 2025 to EUR 953 million. Ascory Bank thus continues to have a strong refinancing base for further growth in its strategic core business areas.

Ascory Bank’s capital position remains comfortably strong and is well above regulatory requirements. The Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio stood at around 19 % as of 30 June 2026. The decline of around 4 % compared with the end of 2025 reflects the bank’s dynamic expansion of new business in the first half of 2026.

New management structure sets the tone for the next stage of the company’s development

With effect from 1 October 2026, the Management Board will be expanded from two to three members. Alongside Matthias Wargers, Head of Markets and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Daniel Piatek will take over as Chief Risk Officer (CRO), assuming responsibility for the areas of Credit, Finance, Risk, Compliance and Regulatory Reporting from Hendrik Harms, who is stepping down as planned. Kai Friedrichs, previously General Authorized Representative, will be appointed to the Management Board and, as COO/CIO, will be responsible for the IT and Banking Operations divisions.

About Ascory Bank AG

Ascory Bank is a German credit institution founded in Hamburg in 1995 with an additional location in Sofia. The bank offers growth-oriented companies such as scale-up and start-up customers structured financing to implement their growth targets. The bank is particularly active in the areas of fintech, energy transition and LBO/MBO transactions involving medium-sized companies. The bank offers depositors secure investment opportunities. Ascory Bank AG is registered with the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority and is also connected to the Compensatory Fund of German Banks (EdB). For more information, see https://www.ascory-bank.de/en.

Press-Contact

Sanja Schultz-Szabo

Head of Communications & Board Affairs

T +49 (0) 40 66 86 49-0

M communications@ascory.de 

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