Wirecard AG

1999

Wirecard AG founded in Munich as an online payment processor.

2002

Markus Braun joins as CEO and begins expanding the company.

2006

Wirecard admitted to the TecDAX index.

2010

Jan Marsalek appointed Chief Operating Officer. Investigators later allege GRU recruitment occurred around this time.

September 2018

Wirecard replaces Commerzbank in the DAX 30 index. Market cap peaks at approximately €24 billion.

30 January 2019

Financial Times publishes investigation alleging document forgery and round-tripping at Wirecard's Singapore office.

February 2019

Singapore authorities raid Wirecard's Singapore offices following the FT report.

18 February 2019

BaFin bans short-selling of Wirecard shares for two months and files criminal complaints against FT journalists and short-sellers.

October 2019

Wirecard's supervisory board appoints KPMG to conduct an independent special forensic audit.

28 April 2020

KPMG releases its special audit report stating it was unable to verify the existence of the majority of revenues claimed for 2016–2018.

18 June 2020

Wirecard discloses that EY cannot confirm approximately €1.9 billion in cash. Markus Braun and Jan Marsalek dismissed.

22 June 2020

Markus Braun turns himself in to German police and is arrested on suspicion of accounting fraud and market manipulation.

25 June 2020

Wirecard AG files for insolvency — the first DAX-listed company ever to do so. Both Philippine banks confirm they have no relationship with Wirecard.

26 June 2020

UK FCA suspends Wirecard Card Solutions' authorization, freezing Crypto.com, TenX, and other crypto debit cards across UK and Europe.

30 June 2020

FCA lifts suspension on Wirecard Card Solutions; crypto debit cards reactivated.

25 August 2020

Insolvency proceedings formally opened against Wirecard AG assets.

8 December 2022

Criminal trial of Markus Braun and two co-defendants opens at Munich Regional Court.

June 2023

Singapore convicts two Wirecard employees: James Wardhana (21 months) and Chai Ai Lim (10 months).

November 2023

Israeli private investigator Aviram Azari sentenced to 80 months in US federal court for hacking Wirecard critics.

September 2024

Munich Regional Court orders Markus Braun and two other former Wirecard board members to pay €140 million in civil damages plus interest.

14 December 2024

Munich court extends Braun criminal trial through 18 December 2025, adding 83 further trial days.

March 2025

London's Central Criminal Court convicts six Bulgarian nationals for espionage directed by Jan Marsalek on behalf of Russian intelligence.

6 January 2026

Singapore court sentences R. Shanmugaratnam (10 years) and James Henry O'Sullivan (6.5 years) for issuing fraudulent escrow confirmation letters worth over €1.1 billion to Wirecard and its auditors.