Germany’s top banks managing $4.5 trillion+ in assets are going crypto—Here’s what to watch

Key Points

1. Deutsche Bank and Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, overseeing $1.9 trillion and $2.3 trillion respectively, are leading the charge into crypto, with plans to offer services by 2026.

2. Crypto ownership in Germany is expected to rise from 6% in 2022 to 30% by 2025, a 450% increase in adoption.

3. Deutsche Bank is developing a layer-2 Ethereum solution, Project DAMA 2, built on ZKsync, aimed at future asset services under MiCA.

4. Sparkassen plans to roll out retail crypto trading via its app, powered by DekaBank and Börse Stuttgart Digital, starting with Bitcoin and Ether.

5. The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) provides legal clarity, enabling banks to integrate crypto services with BaFin-aligned pathways and EU-wide coordination.