Six German cooperative banks launch pilot project with fintech Pliant
Berlin, October 15, 2025 – German cooperative banks Dortmunder Volksbank eG, Volksbank Erft eG, Volksbank Hameln-Stadthagen eG, Volksbank Hohenlohe eG, Volksbank Lübeck eG, and Volksbank Möckmühl eG have entered into a partnership with Pliant as part of a pilot project. The goal is to provide corporate clients with modern digital credit card solutions, simplify expense management, and expand service offerings in corporate banking. Additional Volksbanken are expected to join the initiative in the coming months. The pilot project is open to all Volksbanken seeking to support their corporate customers with innovative, digital payment solutions.
Digital Services for Corporate Clients
Through this partnership, corporate clients of the participating Volksbanken will, for the first time, gain access to simple and efficient digital corporate card solutions. Pliant’s platform combines modern card and receipt management with seamless integration into existing accounting and finance systems. This reduces manual processes, increases control over business expenses, and brings greater flexibility to everyday operations.
At the same time, the Volksbanken are enhancing their corporate banking services with digital offerings that meet the evolving needs of modern businesses.
“We chose to partner with Pliant because we were impressed by the fast onboarding process and recognize the strong demand from our corporate clients for digital and automated card and receipt management solutions. Through this partnership, we bring innovative services to our region and strengthen our position as a modern partner for local businesses,” says Daniel von Lüninck, Head of Individual Clients at Volksbank Erft.
“Our collaboration with these six Volksbanken marks a significant milestone for Pliant. It demonstrates how fintechs and traditional financial institutions can jointly drive innovation that delivers real value to corporate clients. We are excited to take this step together and actively shape the future of digital banking,” says Malte Rau, CEO of Pliant.
About the Volksbanken
The six participating Volksbanken are among the leading German cooperative banks in their respective regions. With strong local roots and long-standing customer relationships, they serve a broad and established base of more than 300,000 private and corporate clients. For decades, they have been trusted financial partners for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), emphasizing local presence and personal advisory services.
Through this pilot project, the Volksbanken demonstrate their commitment to evolving their business model and embracing the opportunities of digital transformation. By integrating Pliant’s modern credit card solutions, they expand their traditional offering with digital corporate cards that increase transparency, integrate smoothly with existing systems, and significantly improve financial process efficiency.
About Pliant
Pliant is a European fintech specializing in B2B payment solutions. With our modular, API-first platform, we empower businesses to streamline spending, enhance cash flows, and seamlessly integrate payments into their financial workflows. Our solutions are particularly valuable for industries with complex payment needs, such as travel and fleet, helping companies achieve greater efficiency, control, and profitability.
We focus on two primary customer segments:
Companies that want to optimize payment processes through our intuitive Apps and powerful APIs, gaining greater control, operational efficiency, and cash flow flexibility through extended credit lines.
Businesses such as financial software companies, ERP providers or banks aiming to launch or enhance their credit card offerings, using our embedded finance or white-label solutions. This enables partners to strengthen customer engagement and diversify revenue streams effectively.
Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Berlin, Pliant supports over 3,500 businesses and more than 20 partners globally. As a licensed e-money institution (EMI), we issue Visa-powered credit cards in 11 currencies across 30+ countries, ensuring that payments become simpler, smarter, and more efficient worldwide.
Learn more at www.getpliant.com
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