Since June last year, we have been able to accompany the introduction of Wero in the cooperative financial network at close quarters as TeleskopEffekt together with DZ BANK AG. Eight Wero Summits throughout Germany are now behind us - from Mittweida to Neumünster to Munich.
Also present were more than 220 colleagues from over 100 cooperative banks.
The many conversations with you have not only shown us how much energy you put into your homes in Wero, but also what other topics are on your minds. Topics that are often present, but are rarely consistently thought through and implemented from start to finish.
This includes, for example, the still mixed digital ratio in our Financial Group. As is so often the case, it is worth thinking in terms of causal chains: without online banking, there is no access to the VR Banking app - and therefore no way to activate Wero. This clearly shows how important it is to transfer our much-praised holistic approach from the customer business to internal challenges.
The Wero Summits in Stuttgart, Mittweida, Hanover, Neumünster, Rastede, Munich, Duisburg and Bad Homburg had a very unique character due to their respective locations alone. What all the summits have in common, however, is the shared desire to move Wero forward.
But the truth is that for many, this will only emerged as a result of a Wero Summit. Not because there was a lack of motivation, but because there were unanswered questions, a lack of knowledge and previously unclear connections. This is precisely where we started with the Wero Summits.
The commitment paid off: On November 24, 2025, the Cooperative Financial Network cracked the 1 million Wero activation mark.
From the Telescope Effect's point of view, it is also important to understand the connection between the European Central Bank's planned digital euro and the introduction of Wero. This is also about clear causalities.
A recent study by PwC on behalf of several European banking associations, in which the BVR is also organized, comes to alarming conclusions: The introduction of a digital euro could cost European banks up to 30 billion euros in total. This assessment is based on estimates of the development costs and the costs of technical integration.
In addition, according to current planning, almost half of the available employees in the individual banks would be tied up in IT and payment transactions in the course of an introduction. This bottleneck in resources would mean that other projects in the banks would have to be postponed and necessary innovations would be slowed down.
Depending on how high the deposit cap for the digital euro is set, there may also be relevant deposit outflows. This would place an additional burden on the banks' interest and lending business.
This is exactly where Wero comes into play. Wero already covers all the central functions that a digital euro should also fulfill: fast, usable throughout Europe, bank-supported and without the risk of a deposit outflow. An additional digital euro would therefore primarily create costs, complexity and competitive disadvantages for banks without offering customers or the market any recognizable added value.
This argument is also being used by the interest groups of European banks to prevent a digital euro or at least to mitigate its impact on the banks. A strong European solution such as Wero is the most convincing counter-argument.
The events were supplemented by workshops aimed at convincing employees and customers of Wero. The focus was on a clear and comprehensible argument that highlighted Wero's strengths and the long-term benefits for banks and customers. It became particularly clear how important it is to get everyone involved right from the start and to pull together. As a result, the participants became real Wero ambassadors and are now carrying the spirit into their respective companies.
Together with DZ BANK AG, we are taking up this spirit of the Wero Summits in the Wero Community. The Wero Community is a platform for all those who want to actively promote Wero in their banks as Wero ambassadors. Banks exchange ideas here, share their experiences and support each other.
The community consists of regular newsletters and a LinkedIn group where members can get in touch with each other directly. The aim is to anchor Wero more firmly in the cooperative financial network and to learn from each other. Everyone can ask questions, contribute ideas and network. In this way, Wero grows step by step - supported by exchange and joint commitment.
You can find out more about Wero here.
