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What went wrong with Wirecard?

Wirecard trial folder showing wanted men
Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Ben Edwards

5 min read

As the trial of executives of the once-lauded payments company continues, we consider the implications of Germany’s biggest post-war financial fraud.

At its peak, German payments company Wirecard was worth €24bn ($25.4), more than Deutsche Bank. It was the darling of the German fintech industry — proof that German fintech startups could compete with the world’s biggest tech companies. 

And then it all unraveled. In June 2020, the company was forced

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