Deutsche Bank plans to launch a service safeguarding Bitcoin and Ether for corporate and institutional clients in Germany within weeks, Gerald Podobnik, the bank’s co-head of Corporate Bank, told Reuters on Friday, Oct. 16.
The initial offer is planned to cover Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). Later stages are expected to let clients move money into or out of major stablecoins. The bank’s broader plans include blockchain-based deposit products and support for clients issuing digital securities, including bonds.
The launch plan builds on Deutsche Bank’s earlier custody strategy. The bank’s Sept. 16 announcement set 2026 as the target for serving its first clients, subject to the regulatory process. Its product page also says availability depends on technical readiness.
Under the planned arrangement, Deutsche Bank would manage the wallets and private keys for supported assets, while clients could transfer them to third parties. The bank warns that custody leaves clients exposed to price movements, fraud, cyber incidents and failures by other market participants. Crypto assets also lack deposit-guarantee protection comparable to that for eligible bank deposits.
Podobnik has pointed to the digital economy’s expansion and new forms of value as reasons for the strategy, Reuters reported. Deutsche Bank’s 2025 investor presentation set a target of about 8% annual revenue growth for its Corporate Bank from 2025 through 2028. Podobnik also told Reuters the bank plans to extend the service to Asian financial centers in 2027. Deutsche Bank has not announced a specific German start date.
