Deutsche Bank is preparing to launch its cryptocurrency custody service in Germany within weeks, shifting a previously stated year-end target to a near-term go-live. Gerald Podobnik, co-head of Deutsche Bank’s Corporate Bank, confirmed the timetable in an October 16 Reuters interview, saying the first clients will be able to custody and transfer digital assets through bank-managed wallets and private-key controls.
The initial service is aimed at eligible institutional and corporate clients—not retail customers—and will support Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, EURC and EURAU. Clients would access custody through Deutsche Bank’s Autobahn and Corporate Bank Portal, with features such as customisable transfer approvals, multi-factor authentication, client-asset segregation, and movements between warm and cold storage. The bank has framed the product as an operational custody and transfer-control layer rather than a bank-run crypto trading platform.
Beyond custody, Deutsche Bank’s roadmap includes fiat-to-stablecoin on/off-ramps, tokenized deposits, and blockchain-based securities including digital bonds. Podobnik indicated the bank plans to expand into Asian financial centres by 2027, though specific locations have not been named. Initial clients include eligible companies, asset managers, hedge funds, custodians, brokers and sovereign institutions, subject to the bank’s due-diligence and risk appetite.
The launch remains conditional on regulatory completion and technical readiness, and Deutsche Bank has not named first clients or published a public go-live date. The bank also cautions that crypto assets do not receive deposit-guarantee protection comparable to eligible bank deposits.
