Sustainable Banking: bunq Plants Trees as You Spend

Discover how bunq makes online banking more sustainable. For every €100 you spend, a tree is planted—helping reduce your CO2 impact with every purchase.

April 22, 2025
Man crouching outdoors planting a small tree with others in the background.
Man crouching outdoors planting a small tree with others in the background.

Introduction: Make Every Purchase Count

Sustainable banking doesn’t have to be complicated. With bunq, it’s built into how you spend. For every €1000 spent with your bunq card, we plant a tree. It’s a simple yet powerful way to support environmental sustainability and reduce your CO2 impact, just by doing what you already do—spending money.

Why Tree Planting Matters for the Environment

Tree planting is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), improve air quality, support biodiversity, and help prevent soil erosion. According to environmental research, just one tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of CO2 each year. That’s why sustainability-focused banking like bunq is helping make a real difference.

How the bunq Tree Planting Feature Works

With bunq, you plant a tree for every €1000 spent using your bunq card. bunq Pro users plant 1 tree for every €250 spent, while bunq Elite users plant 1 tree for every €100 spent. We partner with Veritree to make this happen. Veritree works with trusted local partners like Earth Lungs to plant trees in areas that need them most—especially in Kenya and across Africa.

This initiative is fully traceable and transparent, ensuring each tree planted makes a measurable environmental impact.

Your Impact: Measurable, Visible, and Ongoing

Through the bunq app, you can track how many trees you’ve helped plant. Thousands of users already use this feature to see their environmental contribution grow over time. Together, we’ve planted millions of trees—and we’re just getting started.

Tree planting doesn’t just fight climate change. It also creates local jobs and supports economic growth in vulnerable communities. That’s real-world impact, every time you spend.

Sustainability Beyond Tree Planting

Tree planting is only part of bunq’s commitment to a greener world. Our app also gives you access to:

  • CO2 Insights: Track your carbon footprint with every purchase.

  • Socially responsible investments: Grow your money responsibly with bunq. Your money supports projects with positive social and environmental impact.

  • Digital banking: Reduce paper waste with 100% online banking!

How to Join the Tree Planting Movement

Ready to start making a difference? Here’s how:

  1. Every time you spend €1000 with your bunq card, we plant a tree. With bunq Pro, it's one tree for every €250. With bunq Elite, every €100 counts.

  2. Track your tree count directly in the bunq app.

  3. Invite your friends to join sustainable banking.

The more you use bunq, the more trees you help plant.

Conclusion: Online Banking That Helps the Planet

By choosing bunq, you’re choosing more than a bank. Our tree planting initiative, combined with our sustainability-focused features, makes bunq one of the best options for those looking to reduce their CO2 impact and make a difference through sustainable banking.

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Risk indicator for all bunq B.V. accounts

1

/

6

This number is indicative of product risk, with 1/6 indicating lower risk and 6/6 indicating higher risk.

bunq B.V. is adhered to the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Fund. The maximum guaranteed amount is €100,000 per user

Find your perfect fit

bunq Free

Free

The essentials to get you started.

bunq Core

€3.99/month

The bank account for everyday use.  

bunq Pro

€9.99/month

The bank account that makes budgeting easy.

bunq Elite

€18.99/month

The bank account designed for your international lifestyle.

Risk indicator for all bunq B.V. accounts

1

/

6

This number is indicative of product risk, with 1/6 indicating lower risk and 6/6 indicating higher risk.

bunq B.V. is adhered to the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Fund. The maximum guaranteed amount is €100,000 per user

Find your perfect fit

bunq Free

Free

The essentials to get you started.

bunq Core

€3.99/month

The bank account for everyday use.  

bunq Pro

€9.99/month

The bank account that makes budgeting easy.

bunq Elite

€18.99/month

The bank account designed for your international lifestyle.

Risk indicator for all bunq B.V. accounts

1

/

6

This number is indicative of product risk, with 1/6 indicating lower risk and 6/6 indicating higher risk.

bunq B.V. is adhered to the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Fund. The maximum guaranteed amount is €100,000 per user

Find your perfect fit

bunq Free

Free

The essentials to get you started.

bunq Core

€3.99/month

The bank account for everyday use.  

bunq Pro

€9.99/month

The bank account that makes budgeting easy.

bunq Elite

€18.99/month

The bank account designed for your international lifestyle.

Start your 30-day free trial

Open your account in just 5 minutes, directly from your phone.

Start your 30-day free trial

Open your account in just 5 minutes, directly from your phone.

Start your 30-day free trial

Open your account in just 5 minutes, directly from your phone.