On 13 March 2024, the ECB Governing Council decided on changes to the operational framework for implementing monetary policy. These changes will affect how central bank liquidity will be provided as excess liquidity in the banking system, while remaining significant over the coming years, gradually declines.

The monetary policy turnaround shaped the Bundesbank’s balance sheet last year. The profit and loss account for 2022 reported a distributable profit of zero. This result was achieved by tapping €1 billion worth of risk provisions. As in the previous years, no profit was transferred to the Federal budget. “The Bundesbank sustained exceptional financial burdens in 2022,” Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said at the joint press conference with Executive Board member Joachim Wuermeling.

The worsening energy crisis, a sharp economic slump and abruptly rising market interest rates could put the financial system in Germany under considerable pressure. “To ensure that potential stress is not amplified via the financial system, financial institutions must be sufficiently resilient on their own,” said Claudia Buch, Vice-President of the Deutsche Bundesbank, at the presentation of the 2022 Financial Stability Review. “Financial institutions should assess the impact of adverse scenarios. Given the high uncertainty, they should engage in prudent risk provisioning and exercise caution when distributing profits,” emphasised Bundesbank Executive Board member Joachim Wuermeling.

Im Januar 2026 wies die Leistungsbilanz einen Überschuss von 38 Mrd. € auf (nach 13 Mrd. € im Vormonat).

Fight against euro counterfeiting in North Macedonia and strengthening overall central banking business in Belarus are at the focus of the current twinning and twinning light projects.

The branches of the Bundesbank supply the economy with euro banknotes and coins, and offers private customers the opportunity to exchange D-Mark banknotes and coins free-of-charge and with no fixed deadline.

As expected, the Deutsche Bundesbank further reduced its loss for the year in 2025. In view of a significant improvement in profitability, the loss for the year fell by more than one-half compared with 2024 to €8.6 billion. 

Der EZB-Rat hat heute beschlossen, die drei Leitzinssätze der EZB unverändert zu belassen. Wir sind entschlossen, dafür zu sorgen, dass sich die Inflation auf mittlere Frist bei unserem Zielwert von 2 % stabilisiert. Der Krieg im Nahen Osten hat zu deutlich unsichereren Aussichten geführt. Er hat Aufwärtsrisiken für die Inflation und Abwärtsrisiken für das Wirtschaftswachstum zur Folge. Durch höhere Energiepreise wird sich der Krieg auf kurze Frist erheblich auf die Inflation auswirken. Die mittelfristigen Auswirkungen werden sowohl von der Intensität und der Dauer des Konflikts als auch davon abhängen, wie die Energiepreise auf die Verbraucherpreise durchschlagen und die Wirtschaft beeinträchtigen.

The Governing Council today decided to keep the three key ECB interest rates unchanged. It is determined to ensure that inflation stabilises at the 2 % target in the medium term. The war in the Middle East has made the outlook significantly more uncertain, creating upside risks for inflation and downside risks for economic growth. 

Der EZB-Rat hat heute beschlossen, die drei Leitzinssätze der EZB unverändert zu belassen. Er ist entschlossen, dafür zu sorgen, dass sich die Inflation auf mittlere Frist beim Zielwert von 2 % stabilisiert. Der Krieg im Nahen Osten hat zu deutlich unsichereren Aussichten geführt.

According to the general rules for Eurosystem monetary policy instruments and procedures, the outright purchase and sale of securities on the market (outright transactions) are considered standard open market operations within the Eurosystem’s monetary policy framework.

Link to selected standards and initiatives at national level, of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB), at European level (outside the ESCB), selected international standards and initiatives and links to English language websites of EU/ESCB central banks.

Detailed description of positions of banks’ month-end asset and liability positions in the form of a balance sheet with a supplementary breakdown of the balance sheet items by category, maturity and sector of the respective creditors and debtors.

Frequently asked questions about the digital euro.