The consolidation process in the German banking sector gained momentum last year. The total number of credit institutions in Germany (including legally dependent building and loan associations) fell since 2015 by 72, or 3.7%, from 1,960 to 1,888 institutions (by comparison: 2014: 2014: 1,990 institutions; 2006: 2,301 institutions; 2001: 2,896 institutions).