Deutsche Bank Teams Up With Bitpanda to Launch Game-Changing Crypto Custody by 2026
Deutsche Bank just placed its bet on crypto's future—and it's going all-in with Bitpanda.
The 153-year-old financial giant is building a digital asset vault for institutional clients, set to launch in 2026. Because nothing says 'serious about crypto' like a three-year rollout timeline.
Wall Street's playing catch-up: While crypto natives perfected self-custody, traditional finance is finally realizing digital assets aren't going away. Now Deutsche Bank wants a slice of the custody fees—sorry, 'institutional-grade security solutions.'
The partnership leverages Bitpanda's tech stack to meet Germany's strict BaFin regulations. Because if there's one thing Deutsche Bank knows, it's how to navigate compliance—just ask their $630 million 2021 money laundering fine.
Markets barely blinked at the news. Another day, another bank reluctantly embracing crypto while pretending they always believed.
Deutsche Bank Expands Crypto Footing
Deutsche Bank confirmed earlier this month that it is exploring stablecoins and tokenized deposits, which could involve issuing its own token or joining broader industry initiatives.
The bank is also weighing the development of a tokenized deposit solution for payments.
Notably, Deutsche Bank was among investors backing a $65 million funding round last year for Taurus, reflecting its growing commitment to the digital asset space.
BREAKING
Germany's largest bank, Deutsche Bank, to launch crypto custody services in 2026 pic.twitter.com/Bx0UbFcJMF
Deutsche Bank’s crypto expansion comes as a number of major German banks have already begun integrating crypto services.
Just recently, Germany’s Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe announced plans to launch crypto trading for its 50 million customers by summer 2026.
Dekabank, owned by Sparkassen, will oversee the crypto offering through the group’s mobile banking app, enabling direct trading of Bitcoin and Ether.
Likewise, DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest lender, partnered with Boerse Stuttgart Digital last year to pilot crypto trading and custody services, aiming to expand offerings across its 700 cooperative banks after initial trials.
Meanwhile, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, the country’s biggest federal bank, announced plans in April 2024 to provide crypto custody services for institutional clients in collaboration with Bitpanda.
The momentum isn’t limited to Germany. Speaking in April, Eric TRUMP warned that banks resisting crypto could become obsolete within a decade, highlighting issues of speed and cost in traditional finance.
Big Banks Change Stance Toward Crypto
Major banks including JPMorgan, Citigroup, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo are meeting with officials in Republican-led states like Texas and Oklahoma to address accusations of political bias, especially toward fossil fuel and firearms industries.
Some states have blacklisted these banks from contracts, prompting banks to defend or adjust their policies.
Citigroup ended its restriction on working with firearms vendors selling to buyers under 21, while JPMorgan and others clarified they don’t base lending decisions on political views.
Banks are also retreating from climate-focused alliances and easing restrictions on coal financing to avoid further backlash.
At the federal level, the Trump administration is considering an executive order to prohibit banks from denying services based on political or religious beliefs, which could affect banks’ participation in government business, including selling Treasury bonds.
