U.S. banking giant JPMorgan Chase officially opened its Berlin headquarters on 11 November, confirming that 120 staff—including risk, compliance and IT specialists—have moved from London and Frankfurt ahead of the spring 2026 launch of its digital retail brand Chase Germany. The office can house up to 400 employees and is designed as an EU talent magnet in the post-Brexit landscape.
Mobility dimensions
• Most transferees hold EU Blue Cards or German ICT permits processed under the fast-track regime for financial-services firms in the capital.
• The bank negotiated a block booking of childcare slots and partnered with relocation provider ICUnet to secure housing in Berlin’s constrained rental market.
• Chase Germany will recruit additional engineers locally, but group-wide mobility heads say lateral moves from New York, Dublin and Bangalore will continue in 2026 once Blue-Card salary thresholds rise again.
![JPMorgan relocates 120 employees to new Berlin hub ahead of retail-bank launch]()
Why it matters
The move underlines Germany’s appeal as a landing zone for highly paid fintech talent, even as the government phases out ultra-fast citizenship routes. Competitors considering similar relocations should note that Berlin’s Foreigners’ Office currently assigns appointments within six weeks for corporate batches—significantly faster than Frankfurt or Munich.
Regulatory backdrop
JPMorgan received BaFin clearance for a full retail banking licence in August. In October it was fined €45 million for AML failings—an issue the new Berlin compliance hub is tasked with remedying. The bank’s choice of Berlin over Frankfurt reflects both talent-pool considerations and the city’s cost profile.
Take-aways for global-mobility leaders
• Bulk Blue-Card filings are still viable in Berlin but require German-language job descriptions and local salary benchmarking.
• Short-term accommodation quotas under the Zweckentfremdungsverbot (misuse ban) are tighter in 2025; start planning serviced-apartment inventory early.
Mobility dimensions
• Most transferees hold EU Blue Cards or German ICT permits processed under the fast-track regime for financial-services firms in the capital.
• The bank negotiated a block booking of childcare slots and partnered with relocation provider ICUnet to secure housing in Berlin’s constrained rental market.
• Chase Germany will recruit additional engineers locally, but group-wide mobility heads say lateral moves from New York, Dublin and Bangalore will continue in 2026 once Blue-Card salary thresholds rise again.
Why it matters
The move underlines Germany’s appeal as a landing zone for highly paid fintech talent, even as the government phases out ultra-fast citizenship routes. Competitors considering similar relocations should note that Berlin’s Foreigners’ Office currently assigns appointments within six weeks for corporate batches—significantly faster than Frankfurt or Munich.
Regulatory backdrop
JPMorgan received BaFin clearance for a full retail banking licence in August. In October it was fined €45 million for AML failings—an issue the new Berlin compliance hub is tasked with remedying. The bank’s choice of Berlin over Frankfurt reflects both talent-pool considerations and the city’s cost profile.
Take-aways for global-mobility leaders
• Bulk Blue-Card filings are still viable in Berlin but require German-language job descriptions and local salary benchmarking.
• Short-term accommodation quotas under the Zweckentfremdungsverbot (misuse ban) are tighter in 2025; start planning serviced-apartment inventory early.
