Crowdinvesting 2026: the comprehensive guide for investors
Crowdinvesting has become a popular form of investment in recent years. In this guide you will find out everything about crowdinvesting platforms, returns, risks and investment strategies – so that you can make well-founded investment decisions.
Infographic: crowdinvesting at a glance (in German) | Source: kosten.org market analysis February 2026
What is crowdinvesting?
Crowdinvesting is a form of crowd financing (Schwarmfinanzierung) in which many investors jointly invest in projects or companies. In Germany this mostly takes the form of subordinated loans and bonds with fixed interest (lending-based), less often genuine equity stakes (equity-based crowdfunding). Unlike classic crowdfunding, investors here receive a financial return in the form of interest, profit participation or, if successful, company shares.
Good to know:
Many platforms now operate as crowdfunding service providers under the EU Crowdfunding Regulation (ECSP Regulation), authorised by BaFin (Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) or another EU supervisor – each project then comes with a key investment information sheet (Anlagebasisinformationsblatt). If a project is offered under the German Investment Products Act (Vermögensanlagengesetz) instead, no sales prospectus is needed for issues of up to €6 million, but a Vermögensanlagen-Informationsblatt (VIB, investment product information sheet) is mandatory. Retail investors may then generally invest no more than €1,000 per issuer – with a self-declaration up to €10,000 (with at least €100,000 in freely available assets) or up to twice their average monthly net income, capped at €25,000 (Section 2a VermAnlG).
How does crowdinvesting work?
- Choose a platform: Register with one or more crowdinvesting platforms
- Choose a project: Browse active projects by return, term and risk class
- Invest: Set the amount (often from €10-500) and complete the investment digitally
- Receive interest: Depending on the project, you receive interest payments quarterly or annually
- Repayment: At the end of the term your capital is repaid (provided the project was successful)
Tips for successful crowdinvesting
- Diversify: Spread your capital across at least 10-20 different projects
- Only invest spare capital: Do not invest money you will need in the short term
- Check projects: Read the key investment information sheet or the Vermögensanlagen-Informationsblatt (VIB) carefully
- Platform track record: Favour established platforms with a proven record of success
- Tax treatment: Interest income is subject to Abgeltungsteuer (German flat-rate withholding tax, 25% + Soli, the solidarity surcharge, plus church tax where applicable); saver's allowance €1,000 per person
Tip for beginners:
Start with small amounts and spread them across several projects and platforms. Look at the collateral (e.g. a land charge or merely subordination), the developer's track record and how the platform handles delays and defaults. Projects with short terms and regular interest payments can also default – as real estate projects have repeatedly shown since interest rates rose in 2022.
As of: October 2026 | All information without guarantee. Crowdinvesting involves considerable risks. Links marked with an * are affiliate links: if an investment is made through them, we receive a commission – there is no extra cost to you. Projects with a partner programme are listed first; platforms without a partner programme are linked directly.
Konstantin Botschmanowski
Finance expert ✓ VerifiedFounder of kosten.org. As a former client adviser at an online broker and an active trader with more than 10 years of experience in the financial markets, I regularly rate brokerage accounts, brokers and financial products based on their published terms. My focus: transparent comparisons without hidden costs!
