Deutsche Bank to roll out crypto custody, eyes Asian markets next
Regulation & Gov ·
Germany's largest lender is set to debut digital-asset custody within weeks, with executives outlining a follow-on push into Asian financial hubs.
Deutsche Bank is preparing to introduce its first crypto custody offering in Germany, according to Reuters, which cited comments from Gerald Podobnik, co-head of the corporate bank, made at the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok. Podobnik said the custody platform would later be extended into Asian financial centres, framing the move as part of a broader corporate-banking plan targeting 8% compound annual growth by 2028.
The rollout is designed to happen in stages. Initial custody support will cover major tokens such as bitcoin and ether, after which the bank intends to add services letting clients convert funds into and out of widely used stablecoins. Longer term, Deutsche Bank has also flagged plans for tokenised deposits and assistance with issuing blockchain-based securities, including digital bonds, per Reuters.
Podobnik pointed to the scale of stablecoins, now holding hundreds of billions of dollars, as a sign that new forms of value have built up over the past two decades and that banks will need to supplement traditional products with blockchain-based alternatives rather than replace them outright.
Coverage of the plan varies on timing for the Asia expansion. The original announcement and one corroborating report describe the expansion landing in 2026, while another account puts the Asian rollout at 2027. Three distinct sources are tracking the story, but the exact launch date in Germany, the specific Asian markets targeted, and which year the international expansion will actually begin remain unconfirmed.