Trade Republic

Trade Republic's journey began in 2015 in Munich, Germany, under the name Neon Trading. Founded by the visionary trio of Christian Hecker, a philosopher with a keen eye for finance, Thomas Pischke, a physicist, and Marco Cancellieri, a computer scientist, the company was born out of a shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to build wealth. They saw a European financial landscape dominated by complex and expensive brokerage services, a system that effectively excluded a large portion of the population from participating in the capital markets. Their mission was clear: to democratize investing by creating a simple, transparent, and commission-free platform accessible to all, directly from their smartphones. This ambitious idea was nurtured in the startup incubator of Comdirect Bank, providing the fertile ground for their innovative concept to take root and grow.

The early years were focused on building a robust and scalable technological infrastructure that could support their revolutionary business model. In 2017, a significant milestone was reached when Sino AG, a Düsseldorf-based investment firm, recognized the immense potential of the fledgling company and acquired a majority stake. This injection of capital and strategic support propelled Trade Republic forward, allowing them to refine their product and prepare for a market launch. The pivotal moment came in 2019 when they officially launched their mobile-only, commission-free trading platform in Germany. The response was overwhelming, validating their initial vision. The platform's intuitive design and low-cost structure resonated with a new generation of investors, many of whom were entering the stock market for the first time. This initial success attracted further investment from prominent venture capital firms like Creandum, Project A Ventures, Accel, and Founders Fund, fueling their rapid expansion across Europe. Today, Trade Republic stands as a leading European savings platform, a testament to its founders' unwavering commitment to empowering financial participation for millions.