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Point of Focus
- Deutsche Bank plans to launch institutional crypto custody in Europe later this year.
- The service will initially support Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC, EURC and EURAU.
- Tokenized financial instruments are also on the roadmap.
Deutsche Bank is preparing to launch an institutional crypto custody service supporting Bitcoin, Ethereum and selected stablecoins, deepening one of Europe’s largest banks’ push into digital assets.
Germany’s largest lender said the service is expected to go live with its first clients later this year, subject to the completion of regulatory approvals.
The initial offering will support Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and stablecoins including Circle’s USDC and EURC, alongside AllUnity’s euro-denominated EURAU. Tokenized financial instruments are also on Deutsche Bank’s roadmap for future expansion.
The bank reportedly expects to receive the relevant custody authorization in October under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.
Deutsche Bank targets institutional crypto demand
The custody service will initially target institutional and corporate customers in Europe through Deutsche Bank‘s Corporate Bank and Investment Bank divisions.
Potential clients include corporations, asset managers, hedge funds, custodians, brokers and sovereign institutions.
Germany's Largest Bank to Launch Crypto Custody Services
According to Bloomberg, Germany's largest lender, Deutsche Bank AG, has announced plans to launch an institutional-grade cryptocurrency custody service, marking its formal entry into digital asset storage. Pending… pic.twitter.com/CMS1YPd0yV
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 16, 2026
Deutsche Bank will manage wallets and private keys on behalf of customers, allowing institutions to hold and transfer digital assets without developing their own custody infrastructure.
“Digital assets are not a replacement for the traditional financial system but an important complement to it,” Deutsche Bank Corporate Bank Co-Head Gerald Podobnik said.
The bank said the platform will combine traditional financial controls with infrastructure designed specifically for digital assets.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and stablecoins come first
Bitcoin and Ethereum will form the core of the initial crypto offering, alongside selected dollar- and euro-denominated stablecoins.
The supported asset list could expand depending on client demand, regulatory requirements and Deutsche Bank‘s internal risk and product approval processes.
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Tokenized financial instruments represent another planned expansion area, potentially allowing the bank to provide custody infrastructure for blockchain-based versions of traditional securities.
The service incorporates several layers of institutional security, including hardware-based key protection, multi-person approvals and separate warm and cold storage environments.
Deutsche Bank will also use selected external technology and infrastructure providers for parts of the platform. The bank has selected Taurus for digital-asset custody infrastructure and enlisted Bitpanda Technology Solutions to help build the service.
However, DB will manage clients’ wallets and private keys itself and has not disclosed the exact functions outsourced to each provider.
European banks expand into crypto
The launch builds on Deutsche Bank’s years-long digital asset strategy.
The lender first disclosed plans to develop crypto custody services in 2023 through a partnership with Swiss digital asset infrastructure provider Taurus.
Its ambitions have since broadened. Earlier this year, Deutsche Bank’s head of digital assets, Sabih Behzad, said the lender was exploring opportunities in stablecoins, including potentially issuing its own token.
Other major German financial institutions have also entered the market.
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg began offering institutional crypto custody services through a partnership with Bitpanda, while DZ Bank received regulatory authorization for its meinKrypto platform.
Deutsche Bank cautioned, however, that its planned launch remains dependent on regulatory approval and that availability, supported assets and the scope of the service could change before rollout.
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