Gerald Podobnik, Deutsche Bank’s co-head of Corporate Bank, told Reuters on Oct. 16 that its digital-asset custody service could launch in Germany within weeks, with expansion to Asian financial centers planned for 2027. The service is designed for corporate and institutional clients.
Deutsche Bank’s Sept. 16 announcement set 2026 as the target for its first clients, subject to the regulatory process. The bank’s product page also makes availability conditional on technical readiness. It has not announced a specific launch date.
Under the planned setup, Deutsche Bank would manage the wallets and private keys used by clients. Customers could hold selected assets and transfer them to third parties, reducing their need to build custody infrastructure themselves. The announced asset list includes Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and selected stablecoins or e-money tokens, including USDC, EURC and EURAU.
Podobnik told Reuters that custody would come before other planned services. These include helping clients move money into and out of mainstream stablecoins, offering tokenized deposits and supporting clients issuing blockchain-based securities such as digital bonds. Reuters did not give a timetable for those additions.
Podobnik linked the strategy to the growth of the digital economy and new pools of value, Reuters reported. Deutsche Bank’s 2025 investor presentation set an approximately 8% compound annual revenue growth target for its Corporate Bank from 2025 to 2028.
The bank warns that custody does not shield clients from asset-price volatility, fraud, cyber incidents or failures by other market participants. It also says crypto-assets lack deposit-guarantee protection comparable to that for eligible bank deposits.
