Deutsche Bank has announced plans to launch a digital-asset custody service for institutional and corporate clients in Europe later in 2026, pending regulatory approval. The platform will initially support Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the regulated stablecoins USDC, EURC, and EURAU. The bank will manage wallets and private keys, with security measures including hardware key protection and cold storage. The service targets asset managers, hedge funds, custodians, brokers, sovereigns, corporations, and blockchain companies. Deutsche Bank has partnered with Taurus for crypto infrastructure and with Bitpanda for payment services. The launch depends on completing notification procedures under the EU’s MiCA framework with German regulators BaFin and Bundesbank.
Deutsche Bank plans to launch a digital-asset custody service for institutional and corporate clients later in 2026. The platform will initially support Bitcoin, Ethereum, and selected regulated stablecoins, while the launch remains subject to completion of the bank’s regulatory process.
The German financial institution has stated that customers will be able to secure their digital assets and send them to any other party. Deutsche Bank will be taking care of wallets and private keys.
Initially, the digital asset wallet will be available for Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, EURC, and EURAU. The bank has mentioned that the list is subject to change.
The crypto custody services are expected to be offered to institutions and companies within Europe. Possible customers include asset managers, hedge funds, custodians, brokers, sovereigns, corporations, and blockchain companies.
According to Gerald Podobnik, the co-head of Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank, “digital assets are increasingly seen as an adjunct to the traditional financial system.”
The token offerings will not include all available tokens when it starts. Whether the bank will add any more token offers later depends on demand and the bank’s approval procedure.
The service will get access to the regulated German digital asset market through EURAU. AllUnity started offering the euro stablecoin in July 2025 when it was granted an electronic money institution license by BaFin. The project is a collaboration between DWS, Flow Traders, and Galaxy, and EURAU is described as fully backed and MiCA-compliant.
USDC and EURC stablecoins by Circle offer dollars- and euros-backed digital currencies. Their presence in the custody product means that regulated stablecoins are now alongside Bitcoin and Ether.
Management of clients’ private keys by the bank is among the services offered. The security framework will include key protection through hardware, key generation, and transaction approval processes, along with separate warm and cold storage.
Deutsche Bank has collaborated with third-party providers of digital-asset infrastructure. In 2023, the bank signed a global contract with the Swiss company Taurus for cryptocurrency, digital currency, and tokenized-asset infrastructure. The bank also has a separate partnership with Bitpanda since 2024 for German IBANs and instant payment services.
Deutsche Bank has not specified a definite launch date. Through MiCA, European credit institutions can offer crypto-asset services via Article 60, requiring notification to BaFin and Bundesbank.
Tokenized securities remain part of the bank’s digital asset strategy. Deutsche Bank has been experimenting with tokenization technology via the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian. The crypto custody solution will initially be restricted to a number of assets and professional customers.
