Germany’s leading financial institution, Deutsche Bank, is set to enter the crypto custody arena, targeting a launch in 2026. This strategic move aligns with increasing institutional demand for digital assets and improved regulatory clarity across the U.S. and EU.

To facilitate this venture, Deutsche Bank is leveraging key partnerships with established technology providers. The bank will utilize infrastructure from Austria-based Bitpanda’s technology unit and continue its collaboration with Swiss-based Taurus SA. Bitpanda Technology Solutions is expected to provide core infrastructure that adheres to stringent regulatory and cybersecurity standards, while Taurus, in which Deutsche Bank invested $65 million in 2023, strengthens its digital assets roadmap. These collaborations aim to ensure safe, regulated, and scalable custody offerings tailored for corporate and institutional clients.

The new custody platform will enable the secure storage of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This initiative follows the bank’s initial revelation of its digital asset custody plans in 2020 and signifies its continued advancement in the space through strategic collaborations and licensing efforts. The bank has also partnered with Bitpanda since mid-2024 to enhance cryptocurrency payments.

Beyond custody, Deutsche Bank is exploring a broader digital asset strategy. Sabih Behzad, the bank’s head of digital assets, indicated in June that the institution is examining its role within the stablecoin ecosystem. This includes potential options such as issuing its own stablecoin or participating in industry consortiums to support tokenized payment systems. Furthermore, the bank is studying tokenized deposit solutions as part of a long-term vision to improve settlement and payment efficiency. These innovations are designed to solidify Deutsche Bank’s position among institutions providing regulated digital asset services, building on the trend seen with other major financial players like Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, which also announced crypto trading services for its extensive customer base.