Deutsche Bank Nears Launch of Institutional Crypto Custody Service

Deutsche Bank announced that it plans to roll out a regulated digital‑asset custody service for European institutional and corporate clients by the end of 2026, pending final regulatory approvals.

Scope of the offering

At launch, the custody platform will support a limited set of assets: bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), and the stablecoins USDC and EURC.

Strategic context

The move follows similar initiatives by other European banks such as Standard Chartered and BBVA, reflecting growing demand from institutions for secure, regulated storage of digital assets.

Bank’s perspective

Gerald Podobnik, co‑head of Deutsche Bank’s corporate banking division, said digital assets are intended to complement, not replace, the traditional financial system and will be offered in line with client demand, regulatory requirements and the bank’s risk appetite.

Timeline

The service is slated to become operational by the end of 2026, after completion of applicable regulatory checks.