German banks expand services to include Bitcoin and crypto

Major German financial institutions are expanding their services to include digital assets and cryptocurrencies.

Deutsche Bank has announced plans to launch a regulated custody solution for corporate and institutional clients. The service, expected to begin in 2026, will involve managing wallets and private keys for assets including Bitcoin, Ether, and selected stablecoins. The security architecture will utilize hardware-based protection, multi-person approval processes, and separate warm and cold storage environments to mitigate risks.

Other banking groups are also entering the market. DZ Bank and various Volksbanken are integrating cryptocurrency trading into their banking apps for private customers, supporting assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Cardano. Meanwhile, Sparkassen and DekaBank are preparing to launch cryptocurrency trading services for retail clients, with DekaBank’s offering expected to be available via the Sparkassen app starting in October.