Germany’s Deutsche Bank targets 2026 launch for crypto custody services

Global banking institutions are stepping deeper into crypto, and among them, Germany’s Deutsche Bank is laying out timelines for launching its new services.

According to a Tuesday Bloomberg report, the Frankfurt-based institution is gearing up to launch its crypto custody service in 2026. 

Citing people familiar with the matter, the report stated that Deutsche Bank is working with Bitpanda Technology Solutions, the tech arm of crypto exchange Bitpanda, to build the service.

Deutsche Bank’s crypto initiative was first unveiled in 2022 and has gained traction as more global banks explore ways to offer regulated access to crypto and other digital assets. The bank is also reportedly exploring additional blockchain-related efforts, including stablecoin ventures and potential infrastructure for public blockchain use cases that meet regulatory requirements.

As part of the custody rollout, Deutsche Bank will continue working with Taurus SA, a Swiss digital asset firm it backed in a $65 million funding round last year.

The bank’s growing crypto push comes as more German and international institutions look to expand their services in digital assets. In a separate report on June 30, Bloomberg revealed that German bank Sparkassen will also roll out cryptocurrency trading for retail customers by summer 2026.

The initiative marks a U-turn from its 2023 decision to block such services, when Sparkassen’s internal committee dismissed crypto as too volatile, risky, and unsuitable for its portfolio. The new offering will allow customers to buy and sell digital assets like Bitcoin Bitcoin through DekaBank, Sparkassen’s securities arm, using their existing banking apps.

Beyond Germany, other major financial institutions across Europe are also exploring digital assets. Earlier this year, Standard Chartered, one of the world’s largest banking institutions, secured the MiCA regulatory license to provide institutional-grade custody for Bitcoin and  Ethereum (ETH).