Deutsche Bank reported its strongest annual sustainable finance and ESG investment performance in four years, pointing to a rebound in client demand during 2025. According to the bank’s latest annual results, total sustainable finance and ESG investment volumes reached €98 billion for the year, marking the highest level since 2021 and the second strongest quarterly performance since 2020.

Cumulative sustainable finance volumes since 2020 now stand at €471 billion, placing the bank on track toward its stated target of facilitating €900 billion in sustainable finance, ESG investments, and transition finance by the end of 2030.

Client Demand Drives Recovery in Sustainable Finance Activity

Speaking at Deutsche Bank’s Annual Media Conference, Chief Executive Officer Christian Sewing highlighted renewed momentum in sustainability-linked financing, despite waning public attention to ESG themes in recent years.

He emphasized that sustainability remains a strategic priority for the bank and cautioned against slowing efforts to support the economic transition. Management framed the 2025 results as evidence that client appetite for sustainable and transition-focused financing is returning across multiple sectors.

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Investment Banking Leads Sustainable Finance Volumes

Deutsche Bank reported higher sustainable finance volumes across all major business divisions compared with the previous year. Investment Banking emerged as the largest contributor, generating €67 billion in sustainable finance volumes in 2025. This compares with €57 billion in 2024 and €39 billion in 2023, reflecting steady growth over the past three years.

The Corporate Bank unit recorded sustainable finance volumes of €20.2 billion, up from €17.2 billion in 2024, while the Private Bank business reached €11.6 billion, compared with €8.9 billion in the prior year. The broad-based increase suggests sustainability-linked products are gaining traction across both institutional and retail-facing segments.

Strategy Update Expands Focus on Transition Finance

The strong 2025 performance follows a series of strategic updates announced by Deutsche Bank in November. These included an expanded sustainability strategy aimed at supporting net-zero transitions in hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry and energy.

As part of this shift, the bank introduced a dedicated Transition Finance framework, outlining eligibility criteria and governance standards for transition-related transactions. The framework is intended to complement existing Sustainable Finance and ESG Investment frameworks, which together underpin the €471 billion in cumulative volumes reported since 2020.

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Long-Term Target Remains €900 Billion by 2030

Deutsche Bank reiterated its commitment to reaching €900 billion in sustainable finance, ESG investment, and transition finance volumes between 2020 and 2030. Management linked the renewed client demand seen in 2025 directly to the decision to maintain this target, despite a more challenging macroeconomic and political environment for ESG-related activity globally.

According to Sewing, sustainable finance and transition financing are increasingly viewed by clients as essential tools for managing regulatory pressure, capital costs, and long-term competitiveness, reinforcing the bank’s conviction in the strategy.

Outlook for Sustainable Finance

With rising volumes across all business lines and a clearer framework for transition finance, Deutsche Bank enters 2026 positioning sustainability as both a growth driver and a core advisory capability. Execution in hard-to-abate sectors, consistency of client demand, and regulatory alignment will be key factors shaping whether the bank can sustain momentum and close the remaining gap toward its 2030 target.

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