Deposit guarantee scheme for business accounts
The deposit guarantee scheme is not only important for private individuals, but also plays a major role for entrepreneurs and businesses. As an entrepreneur, you want to be sure that the money in your business account is safe, even if your bank unexpectedly goes bankrupt. The guarantee scheme ensures that deposits of up to €100,000 per bank are protected, so you can bank with confidence. This provides peace of mind and certainty, especially when your working capital or reserves are temporarily held with one bank.
What is the deposit guarantee scheme?
The deposit guarantee scheme (DGS) is a statutory scheme that protects savers and businesses against the loss of their bank balances. If a bank in the Netherlands goes bankrupt, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) ensures that account holders get their money back up to the maximum amount of €100,000. Business accounts are also covered, so companies can safely place their money with a bank without a bankruptcy immediately having disastrous consequences.
The DGS applies throughout the Netherlands and the European Union and is intended to safeguard confidence in the financial system. It is therefore not only a safety net for private individuals, but also for the self-employed, SMEs and larger organisations that manage their day-to-day financial administration through a bank account.
How much is protected?
The core of the deposit guarantee scheme is that up to €100,000 per depositor is reimbursed per bank. This maximum applies to current accounts, savings accounts and fixed-term deposits held with the bank. For business owners, the exact protection depends on the legal form of the business. This is important, because the way the law views your business determines how much of your balance actually falls under the guarantee scheme.
Sole trader
The money in a sole trader's business account is added to the entrepreneur's private assets. Together, there is one level of protection of €100,000 per bank. This can have consequences if, as a self-employed person, you have large business and private balances with the same bank.Private Limited Company (BV)
A BV is a legal entity and is legally separate from the owner. That means the BV itself is protected up to €100,000, separate from the entrepreneur's private assets. For director-major shareholders, this distinction is important, because you as an individual and your BV are each covered separately under the DGS.General partnership, limited partnership or professional partnership
From 1 April 2025, the rules change: these legal forms receive separate protection of €100,000 per partnership per bank. Previously, each partner was entitled to protection separately. Depending on the situation, this may mean that the cover is higher or lower. For business owners in partnerships, it is therefore wise to check in good time what this means for their specific situation.
Practical examples
A concrete example makes it clear how this works in practice and helps business owners understand how the protection applies in their situation:
Self-employed person with multiple accounts
A self-employed person has a business account with €90,000 and a personal account with €20,000 at the same bank. These are added together. Of the €110,000, €100,000 is guaranteed; the remaining €10,000 falls outside the cover.BV and personal assets
Does a private limited company have €90,000 in the business account and the entrepreneur personally €20,000 at the same bank? Then this is treated separately: the company receives €90,000 and the entrepreneur personally €20,000. In this scenario, therefore, the full balance is reimbursed.General partnership with a large balance
A general partnership with €200,000 in the business account may have had full cover before April 2025 (depending on the number of partners). Following the legislative change, however, only €100,000 for the general partnership as a whole is covered. For the remaining amount, it is sensible to consider spreading funds across multiple banks.
Which business accounts fall under the system?
Almost all business current and savings accounts are covered by the protection of the DGS. This also applies to business term deposits in which your money is fixed for a certain period. Entrepreneurs can therefore rely on everyday payments and savings balances being protected.
However, there are a few exceptions:
Government institutions
Financial institutions (such as banks themselves or insurers)
In addition, investment products (such as shares or bonds), derivatives, insurance and cryptocurrencies do not fall under the guarantee scheme. This distinction is important: an investment can fall in value and always carries risk, whereas the DGS applies only to bank deposits.
Why is this important for entrepreneurs?
For entrepreneurs, from sole traders to SMEs, the certainty that their business funds are protected is crucial. It helps to limit risk and ensures that a bank failure does not immediately lead to the loss of working capital. This safety net enables entrepreneurs to do business with confidence and plan investments.
Do you, as a business, have more than €100,000 in one bank account? Then it is wise to spread it across several banks, each with its own licence. In that way, you can ensure that your entire balance remains within the cover. Some companies also choose to divide liquid funds across accounts within the group, depending on the legal structure.
GoDutch and the deposit guarantee scheme
GoDutch business accounts are also covered by the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme. This means that the balance in a GoDutch account is protected up to €100,000 per business per bank. In this way, GoDutch offers entrepreneurs the same security as traditional banks, but with the benefits of a modern, digital solution for business banking.
Whether you are a start-up self-employed professional or run a growing business: with GoDutch you benefit from innovative features for business payments, without compromising on security. So you know your business capital is always safe, while also benefiting from the flexibility of digital banking.
