Berlin-based fintech lemon.markets has teamed up with Optio Incentives to simplify how companies handle employee stock programs in Germany. This partnership aims to help big German companies, including one listed on the major stock index DAX, manage their employee stock compensation more efficiently.

German Fintech Makes Employee Stock Programs Easier to Manage

The collaboration integrates lemon.markets' digital brokerage and custody infrastructure with Optio Incentives' compensation management platform. lemon.markets provides the behind-the-scenes technology that handles stock trading and storage, while Optio Incentives offers software that helps companies manage their employee stock programs.

As a BaFin-licensed investment firm, lemon.markets provides the technical backbone that enables efficient and tax-compliant handling of shares through a single API, supporting the entire investment value chain for Optio Incentives.

"By combining Optio Incentives' expertise in equity compensation with lemon.markets' modern brokerage and custody infrastructure, we are providing an improved experience for our German customers," said Christoffer Herheim, CEO at Optio Incentives.

Brokerage-as-a-Service

The Berlin-based fintech has expanded its brokerage-as-a-service platform to include stocks, having previously established collaborations with financial institutions including BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank.

"This partnership highlights how lemon.markets can enable a wide range of software-driven investment use cases. Supporting a German DAX-listed company underlines the operational, technical, and regulatory strength of our platform," said Max Linden, Founder and CEO of lemon.markets.

Founded in 2020, lemon.markets has secured over €28 million in funding from investors including CommerzVentures, Creandum, Lakestar, Lightspeed, and System.one. The company aims to open 100 million brokerage accounts within the next decade.

Optio Incentives currently serves more than 500 clients across 15 stock exchanges, helping companies launch and manage global share plans while providing employees with tools to understand their equity compensation.