Munich Startup: What does your startup do?
Christoph Scholze, CEO and co-founder of Fija FinanceDespite growing crypto adoption, a large portion of digital assets simply lie idle – unused in wallets. Studies show that over 80 percent of crypto holders want to earn interest on their crypto. However, access to DeFi (Decentralized Finance), where this would be possible, is often too complex, too opaque – or simply unregulated. Fija solves this problem. We offer regulated, transparent, and seamlessly integrable DeFi strategies for financial and crypto platforms. With the Fija app – already live – users can earn interest on their cryptocurrencies in a compliant, simple, and transparent manner. Our offering is primarily aimed at crypto platforms and financial apps that want to offer their customers access to interest on cryptocurrencies. Financial platforms, crypto brokers, wallet providers, and neo-brokers can easily integrate Fija products into their existing offerings and offer their customers access to crypto interest and DeFi with the convenience of their existing financial app.
Regulatory security & real blockchain solutions
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Christoph ScholzeNot in this combination—and not at this level of quality. Many providers are either unregulated and non-transparent (black box)—or regulated but lack true DeFi access. Fija combines both worlds:
- Regulatory security (compliant with EU regulations such as MiCAR and MiFID)
- True blockchain solutions: Customers enjoy the benefits of blockchain, such as 100 percent transparency and control over their invested assets. Fija handles the complexity of the technical implementation.
The result: DeFi returns directly via the familiar exchange or app – without additional wallets and without interface hopping. For platforms that want to offer their users sustainable interest-bearing products, Fija is the bridge-building solution.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Christoph Scholze: We founded Fija in 2022. At the time, I had already been investing in some cryptocurrencies for a while and was familiar with DeFi. I loved the opportunity to earn a return on my cryptocurrencies in a decentralized financial system. However, I quickly realized that I would need to delve much deeper into the individual DeFi apps and that I didn't have nearly enough technical knowledge to seriously invest in DeFi. So I looked for a solution that would offer me the opportunity to use DeFi in a transparent and regulatory-compliant way, while also taking care of the selection and testing of DeFi apps, monitoring, and risk management. I couldn't find anything – so we built it.
Tim, Lieven, and Kati felt the same way. With backgrounds in DeFi, regulation, product, and technology, we had the perfect setup to build a solution that was both legally sound and technologically compelling. Our vision: "We want to enable everyone to earn on their crypto."
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Christoph Scholze: Quite clearly: the balancing act between regulatory precision and technological innovation. Since we were and are the first to offer a regulatory-compliant path to DeFi, we had to do a lot of educational work and repeatedly face resistance that, while typical of new technologies, quickly exceeds the resources of a startup.
We believe that DeFi should not only be accessible, but also compliant by design. Therefore, it was always clear to us to pursue this path. This has given us a real competitive advantage, because we have not only built a technically highly innovative product, but are also uniquely positioned from a regulatory perspective:
- EU-compliant base prospectus
- Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASO) license and MiCAR compliant
- On-chain infrastructure, highly scalable to develop DeFi strategies
- 100 percent transparent DeFi strategies, completely implemented through smart contracts
- A business model and regulatory setup that works for every customer and partner
- A product that is technically scalable, easy to integrate and usable for the masses
The fact that we have already been able to convince leading institutional partners shows that Fija is more than just a concept – we deliver.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Christoph Scholze: In twelve months we want to:
- have shown that Fija is the Crypto Earn solution for crypto exchanges and brokers in Europe and worldwide
- Fija will be integrated as a crypto earning solution at various leading crypto exchanges
- and Fija will offer its solutions both under a MiCAR license and MiFID compliant via security tokens
In five years, Fija will be the leading provider of crypto earn products, both in the B2B2C sector in cooperation with crypto exchanges and brokers, and in the institutional sector through its own asset manager.
France is actually more attractive as a location for fintech startups
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Christoph ScholzeMunich stands out with its unique blend of tech, finance, and legal expertise. Its proximity to institutional players, law firms, and a growing Web3 community makes the city a strong location—especially for projects that combine regulation and innovation.
Located in the heart of Europe, Munich is perfectly located to bring our solutions to Europe and the world. In retrospect, however, one must consider whether Germany is the best location for a startup, especially in the crypto/fintech sector. Other countries, such as France, are doing significantly more to enable innovation and support startups in their founding and development phases.
Munich Startup: Quick exit or long breath?
Christoph Scholze: Clearly: staying power. We're not building a short-term, trendy solution—rather, the technological and regulatory infrastructure for the next generation of financial markets. Fija is intended to be the bridge between traditional markets and the DeFi world. This requires trust, substance—and strong partners who want to not only cross this bridge with us, but also help shape it.
