Two of Germany's largest financial institutions, Commerzbank and DZ Bank, are set to offer Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading services in response to rising demand from institutional investors.
Commerzbank, the country's second-largest bank by branch count, has entered into a partnership with Crypto Finance, a Deutsche Boerse subsidiary, to provide Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading to its corporate clients.
DZ Bank, the nation's second-largest lender, is working with Boerse Stuttgart to enable its 700 cooperative banks to offer similar services.
This follows a broader trend seen in financial markets, such as Zurich Cantonal Bank in Switzerland, which recently introduced retail Bitcoin and cryptocurrency services.
The growing interest among major banks globally is partly driven by the recent introduction of the first U.S. Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
A spokesperson from Commerzbank noted that the new digital asset offering would give corporate clients access to Bitcoin and Ether trading for the first time.
Combined, DZ Bank and Commerzbank manage assets exceeding $1 trillion, significantly broadening access to Bitcoin in Germany, Europe’s largest economy.
According to a senior executive at DZ Bank, professional investors are increasingly diversifying their portfolios with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, making regulated services a key factor in their investment strategies.
These developments signal a shift in how digital assets are being integrated into traditional European banking, with regulated institutions starting to offer Bitcoin and cryptocurrency services alongside traditional financial products.