Institutional expansion into digital asset custody

Major financial institutions are expanding into institutional digital asset custody services.

In August, Citigroup announced plans to launch Bitcoin custody via its Custody+ platform, aiming to integrate digital assets into its existing infrastructure to allow clients to manage both traditional securities and Bitcoin in a unified framework. This move follows a more favorable regulatory environment in the United States.

In September, Deutsche Bank announced intentions to launch a digital asset custody service for European institutional and corporate clients, pending regulatory approval. Operating under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework, the service plans to support Bitcoin, Ethereum, and specific stablecoins or e-money tokens.

By September 2026, Deutsche Bank clarified that its regulated custody solution for institutional clients is expected to begin later this year. The service will manage wallets and private keys for assets including Bitcoin, Ether, and selected stablecoins such as USDC, EURC, and EURAU. The bank intends to utilize hardware-based protection, multi-person approval processes, and separate warm and cold storage environments to mitigate risks, with future plans to include tokenized financial instruments.

Other German banking groups are also expanding into the digital asset market. DZ Bank and various Volksbanken are integrating cryptocurrency trading for private customers, supporting assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Cardano. Additionally, 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.