Berlin, 27 November 2025
The Federal Employment Agency (BA) is relying on the SocialCard from Publk GmbH to pay citizen’s income to people who previously received a cheque. In Germany, this affects around 8,000 benefit recipients who previously received citizen’s income via the so-called ZzV procedure, i.e. by cheque. This option will no longer be available in future because Postbank is discontinuing the service. Without an alternative solution, people without a bank account in particular would no longer be able to receive benefits. With the rapid introduction of the SocialCard – initially planned for one year – BA customers now have a digital, secure and practical alternative to ZzV.
The card will be issued once by the BA offices and job centres, which operate as a joint institution of local authorities and the BA, and will be topped up monthly with the respective benefit amount. The SocialCard is a prepaid Visa debit card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted – at over 1.5 million retailers in Germany, online or at ATMs. Benefit recipients can use it to pay for goods and services and withdraw cash without restriction, as well as shop online, just like with a regular bank card. It is designed to be non-discriminatory and is no different from other bank cards.
Well-known payment system expanded for new field of application
The SocialCard has been successfully in use in 14 federal states since the end of 2024. During this time, a six-figure number of cards have already been issued by the benefits authorities, primarily for the payment of benefits to refugees. With its introduction at the BA, the tried-and-tested digital solution is now also being used for the first time for citizens receiving benefits who previously received their benefits by cheque.
“We are, of course, aware that people without a bank account must not be disadvantaged in any way and must continue to be provided with money regardless of the legal obligation. With the introduction of the SocialCard, we are creating a reliable short-term solution that will continue to provide benefit recipients with reliable cash payments,” says Andreas Graf of the Federal Employment Agency.
Digitisation of payment processes in public administration
The SocialCard has proven itself as a basic technology for digitising cash-based processes. It represents a modern and secure solution for efficiently and digitally processing payments in the public sector – from social benefits to student grants and low-threshold procurement. Thanks to its modular and scalable design, the solution can be flexibly adapted to different areas of application and helps to significantly improve administrative efficiency, thereby creating more freedom for employees.
With its use at the Federal Employment Agency, SocialCard is now taking the next step from a specialised application to a central instrument for the digitalisation of payment processes in the public sector. “With the Federal Employment Agency’s decision to provide citizen’s income via the SocialCard, our technology is being used nationwide for the first time in a central service area of social administration,” explains Joerg Schwitalla, founder and managing director of Publk GmbH, which developed the SocialCard. “This is an important step towards administrative digitisation and shows how digital solutions can simplify administrative access and make it more efficient. In the future, further areas of application will follow, enabling authorities to provide payments and services seamlessly in digital form – securely, transparently and in a resource-efficient manner.”
About the SocialCard
The SocialCard digitises the payment of social benefits. It is a “cash and cheque equivalent”. The SocialCard is issued as a Visa debit card and enables benefit recipients to receive their social benefits quickly and easily. It thus offers them dignified participation in everyday processes. At the same time, it reduces the administrative burden on local authorities. Wherever cash or cheques have been used up to now, the SocialCard can simplify and streamline payments by digitising cash processes.
About Publk
Publk specialises in digitising payments in the public sector that were previously made in cash or by cheque. Publk understands the needs of local authorities with regard to payments and has developed the SocialCard, a solution that is optimally tailored to all requirements as well as legal and regulatory requirements.
Press contact
Fink & Fuchs AG
Simone Motschmann
Tel.: 0611-74131-929
Email: socialcard@finkfuchs.d