DSW – Germany’s leading private investor association
About us
Founded in 1947, Deutsche Schutzvereinigung für Wertpapierbesitz e.V. (DSW) today has about 30,000 members and is Germany’s leading association for private investors.
The full-time management is based in Düsseldorf. In addition, there are nine regional offices throughout Germany, which are headed by honorary representatives.
The tasks of the DSW are varied
In addition to representing political interests in Berlin and Brussels, DSW provides a comprehensive range of services for its members. These include free initial out-of-court advice on all matters relating to capital investments, clarification of fundamental legal issues through test cases, and representation of the interests of private investors at around 600 annual general meetings each year.
Another important area of activity is investment clubs. The association is the umbrella organization for approximately 7,000 German investment clubs. It supports interested investors in founding new clubs and is happy to provide the clubs with expert advice in the event of problems.
DSW goals and facts
DSW is a non-profit organisation with its head office seated in Düsseldorf supported by eight regional offices which are run by honorary representatives.
Next to a wide range of service offers for our members, DSW has three key objectives:
- Defending and representing private investors' interests
- Providing information and education
- Fostering the equity culture in Germany
Whether stocks, bonds, funds, and certificates, whether takeover bids, squeeze-outs, or delisting
The experts at DSW are always on hand to provide advice and assistance with any questions you may have about your securities account and investments.
Our partners
Our partners help us strengthening our work, especially in the EU.
DSW is a founding member of Better Finance
DSW is founding member of Better Finance in Brussels, the largest Federation of Financial Services Users in Europe. Better Finance represents the interests of around 5 million investors and consumers in Europe.
DSW ist member of the Ethos European Network
The Ethos European Network is an association of independent proxy advisors and corporate governance experts founded in early 2023. Coordinated by the Swiss Ethos Services, the network provides institutional investors with analyses, research, and voting recommendations for the annual shareholder meetings of hundreds of publicly traded companies in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region.