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Germany to End Cash Pension Withdrawals as Mandatory Bank Transfers Take Effect

The long-running Postal ZzV cash service ends to improve payment security under the 2016 law granting every German a basic bank account.

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Overview

  • From January 1, 2026 statutory pensions will be paid exclusively by bank transfer after Deutsche Post and Deutsche Rentenversicherung retire the ZzV cash withdrawal service.
  • Approximately 3,000 retirees currently relying on ZzV have been urged to submit their bank details by December 31, 2025, to avoid payment interruptions.
  • Pension payments will be suspended for those who miss the deadline but withheld amounts will be reimbursed upon account registration.
  • The 2016 Payment Accounts Act guarantees all German citizens a basic bank account irrespective of creditworthiness or income.
  • Usage of the ZzV service has dropped from about 5,600 cases in February 2024 to roughly 3,300 in July 2025 following repeated customer notifications.