In a transformative move for EU finance, major German banks, including Deutsche Bank and Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, are set to integrate crypto services by 2026. Deutsche Bank, with assets over €1.6 trillion, is partnering with Bitpanda and Taurus to develop an institutional crypto custody service, compliant with MiCA regulations. Sparkassen, managing $2.3 trillion and servicing nearly 50 million Germans, plans to offer retail trading through its Sparkasse app by mid-2026. Meanwhile, Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken is exploring crypto services through collaborations with Atruvia and Börse Stuttgart Digital. The implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) provides necessary legal clarity, encouraging these traditional banks to embrace crypto. Predictions indicate that by 2025, 30% of Germans will own cryptocurrencies, a significant increase from 6% in 2022. As the banks prepare for asset tokenization and digital integration, 2026 is expected to mark a pivotal shift in Germany's banking ecosystem with institutional-grade custody and trading becoming standard offerings.

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