Deutsche Bank plans crypto custody launch in 2026 with support from Bitpanda: report

German banking giant Deutsche Bank is set to launch a crypto custody service next year, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Bitpanda, one of Europe's largest and most regulated crypto brokers, is reportedly assisting the bank in building the custody service via its technology unit while long-term partner and Deutsche Bank-backed digital asset infrastructure provider Taurus will also continue to assist in its launch, the people told Bloomberg, asking not to be named discussing private plans.

Headquartered in Vienna — with a business hub in Berlin — Germany represents a significant proportion of Bitpanda's claimed 20 million customers. Founded in 2018, Switzerland-based Taurus provides enterprise-grade infrastructure for over 25 institutional clients to issue, custody, and trade digital assets.

Growing institutional shift toward digital assets

Deutsche Bank's custody project follows a growing institutional shift toward digital assets, driven by clearer EU rules under MiCA and a more supportive U.S. stance under the Trump administration.

The bank has been eyeing the introduction of digital asset custody since late 2020, and sought regulatory approval to operate a custody service for digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, in 2023. However, a launch timeline for such a service was unknown.

Deutsche Bank's move aligns with its broader strategy to increase fee income and mirrors similar digital asset-focused efforts at its investment arm, DWS Group. The bank is also reportedly exploring stablecoins and tokenized deposits, including the potential to issue its own token or join an industry initiative, as more firms and banks increasingly move into the space.

Deutsche Bank declined to comment when reached by The Block. A Bitpanda spokesperson said the firm was unable to comment but did not dispute the report.