Deutsche Bank has just announced its plan to launch its digital asset custody solution this year, depending on how soon it completes the necessary regulatory requirements.

 

Making the announcement in a press release this Wednesday, the bank said the new custody solution will provide its institutional and corporate clients with secure and regulated custody services for their digital assets, with Deutsche Bank managing the clients’ wallets and private keys.

 

“Digital assets are not a replacement for the traditional financial system but an important complement to it. We see them as new rails that can coexist with existing market infrastructures while benefiting from the trust, security and safeguards that regulated financial institutions provide. Our aim is to offer clients a secure and regulated gateway to this evolving market,” said Gerald Podobnik, Co-Head of Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank.

 

At launch, the custody solution will support only a selected range of digital assets, including Bitcoin and Ether, as well as a few stablecoin assets such as USDC, EURC and EURAU, with possible expansion to support more assets depending on clients’ demand and regulatory processes. Tokenized financial instruments are also included in the bank’s roadmap.

 

Security Measures to Protect Clients' Assets

 

To enhance the safety and security of clients’ assets under its custody, Deutsche Bank will implement multiple layers of security for the custodial solution, with the bank stating that these security mechanisms will operate under strict governance.

 

Among the various security measures that will be implemented to safeguard clients’ assets are secure key generation and hardware-based protection, segregation of duties, multi-person approval processes, separate warm and cold storage environments, and controlled backup and recovery arrangements.

 

As its initial focus, the custodial solution will be made available first to qualified Deutsche Bank institutional clients across Europe, including corporates, asset managers, hedge funds, custodians, brokers and sovereign institutions.

Hargreaves Lansdown, the UK’s largest retail investment platform, has begun listing Bitcoin and Ether exchange traded notes (ETNs) for its roughly 2 million clients.

 

The listing, which comprises nine crypto ETNs from major issuers, including BlackRock’s iShares, WisdomTree, 21Shares, Invesco, CoinShares, and Bitwise, comes shortly after the Financial Conduct Authority lifted its four year ban on UK investors buying crypto ETNs in October 2025.

 

Eligible clients will now be able to buy, hold, and sell regulated Bitcoin and Ether exchange traded notes (ETNs), which track the prices of Bitcoin and Ether. Since the crypto ETNs only directly track the prices of the underlying cryptocurrencies, clients do not own the underlying assets.

 

Regarding the launch, Doug Abbott, Hargreaves Lansdown’s chief product officer, told the Financial Times, “We want clients to … understand what they are investing in,” adding that there would be the “right level of friction” involved in the buying process, given that highly volatile cryptocurrencies are not suitable for everyone.

 

According to Abbott, the launch of the ETNs followed consistent inquiries about the products from its sophisticated user base. The firm also said that the necessary security measures were already in place to ensure that the platform was safe and ready to support the ETNs.

 

About Hargreaves Lansdown

 

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK’s largest direct to consumer retail investment platform, allowing private investors to save, invest, and manage their pensions. Through its app and platform, Hargreaves offers a wide range of products, including Stocks and Shares ISAs, SIPPs (self invested personal pensions), Fund and Share dealing accounts, cash savings, and ETFs.

 

Although Hargreaves had long held a cautious and skeptical view of cryptocurrencies and had frequently downplayed the economic relevance and potential of Bitcoin, it has had to adjust its position, particularly amid the rapid mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies. This shift is evident in the launch of its crypto ETN offering.

 

 

Charles Schwab, the United States based brokerage and banking firm, has launched Schwab Crypto, a spot crypto trading platform that provides direct access to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) trading, along with educational content and support from experienced professionals for users.

 

 

“We know our clients want to conduct more of their financial lives at Schwab. With Schwab Crypto, clients who want direct access to the asset class can trade it alongside their other investments, while benefiting from the service, education, and research they expect from us,” said Jonathan Craig, Head of Retail Investing at Charles Schwab.

 

The spot trading platform will provide direct trading in BTC and ETH, with more cryptocurrencies to be added in the future as the platform expands. Traders will also be able to view and trade both crypto and non crypto products across all of Schwab’s platforms, including its website, Schwab Mobile, its mobile app, and thinkorswim, its advanced trading platform, with 24/7 professional support available to traders.

 

Through Schwab Coaching, its educational program, Charles Schwab will provide in depth digital assets education and resources, including insights and commentary from the Schwab Center for Financial Research and crypto focused content, all aimed at helping investors understand the digital assets market and how digital assets fit into a broader investing strategy.

 

How Schwab Crypto Works 

Through Charles Schwab Premier Bank (CSPB), Schwab clients will be given a separate crypto account for the purpose of trading on Schwab Crypto, the retail trading platform. However, this account will remain linked to the clients main brokerage accounts, with CSPB serving as the primary custodian of all client digital assets.

 

Paxos, a leading blockchain infrastructure company regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, will be responsible for handling all trade execution and subcustody services.

 

Regarding Paxos’s role, Joe Vietri, Managing Director and Head of Digital Assets at Charles Schwab, said, “Paxos is a strong partner for blockchain infrastructure. Their regulatory standing and digital asset expertise will help us deliver the seamless, integrated experience our clients expect from Schwab.”