Deutsche Bank Targets 2026 Launch for Crypto Custody Services in Partnership with Bitpanda

Germany's Deutsche Bank is advancing its cryptocurrency ambitions with plans to launch a crypto custody service by 2026. The Frankfurt-based institution is collaborating with Bitpanda Technology Solutions, the infrastructure arm of Austrian crypto exchange Bitpanda, to develop the offering. This initiative, first announced in 2022, represents a strategic push into digital assets as traditional finance increasingly embraces blockchain technology.

The bank's custody platform will leverage its existing partnership with Swiss digital asset firm Taurus SA, which received $65 million in funding from Deutsche Bank last year. Beyond custody, the institution is exploring stablecoin projects and regulatory-compliant public blockchain infrastructure—signaling a broader institutional acceptance of crypto assets.

This development coincides with a notable shift in German banking attitudes toward digital assets. Sparkassen, the country's savings bank association, reversed its 2023 anti-crypto stance and now plans to offer retail trading services by summer 2026. Such moves underscore Europe's growing institutional crypto adoption, with major financial players building compliant on-ramps for digital asset exposure.