Deutsche Bank Crypto Custody Skips XRP and Solana at Launch
Deutsche Bank began offering crypto custody to institutional clients on November 11, 2026, holding Bitcoin, Ethereum and three stablecoins. XRP and Solana are missing, and the bank's only stated reason is client demand. Prices of all four coins fell on the day.
Deutsche Bank launched its crypto custody service for institutional and corporate clients on November 11, 2026, holding Bitcoin, Ethereum and three stablecoins but leaving out XRP and Solana. Why those two were left out has a short official answer.
In custody, the bank manages the private keys, the secret codes that control the coins, so clients do not have to handle them. The five supported assets are Bitcoin, Ethereum and the stablecoins USDC, EURC and EURAU.
The launch did not lift prices. Bitcoin traded at $71,297, down 3% over 24 hours, even after Michael Saylor, a prominent Bitcoin advocate, posted "Deutsche ₿ank" on X. Ethereum was at $1,998, down 2.7%. XRP stood at $1.02 and Solana at $81, both down 3.4%.
Client demand is the only reason given
The bank's September 16 announcement said it would start with a "selected range of digital assets." It added that the list "may be expanded over time, subject to client demand and the bank's product-approval, risk management and regulatory processes."
Deutsche Bank gave no other reason for excluding XRP or Solana. It did not say it had reviewed and rejected either coin.
Regulation does not appear to explain the gap. EU rules treat Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Solana alike, and Brazil's Itaú Unibanco already holds XRP and Solana for clients.
One slot went to a group affiliate
EURAU is a euro stablecoin classed under EU law as an e-money token, backed one-for-one with a currency. Its issuer, AllUnity, is a joint venture between DWS, Flow Traders and Galaxy. DWS is Deutsche Bank's majority-owned asset manager.
The bank has also signed a memorandum of understanding with DWS to explore tokenized money market funds, crypto-asset exchange-traded commodities and stablecoins.
Who can use it
Eligible clients include institutional investors, multinational companies, governments and wealth managers. They reach the service through Autobahn, the bank's corporate platform.
The service covers custody and transfers, not trading. It is available in Germany, with cross-border servicing across Europe. Deutsche Bank's entry in the EU's MiCA register is dated October 12 and names Germany's financial regulator BaFin as its supervisor.
The bank has not disclosed its first clients or pricing. Custody earns a fee but guarantees no buyers, so adding a coin would not automatically push its price up.
The announcement named no settlement asset, meaning a coin the bank might use to move funds between parties. Paul Maley, the bank's global head of trust and securities services, said the medium-term goal is a fully integrated, regulated ecosystem for custody, tokenization and settlement of digital assets.
