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Tag: ether

  • Deutsche Bank Launches Crypto Custody Service for Paying Clients

    Deutsche Bank Launches Crypto Custody Service for Paying Clients

    Deutsche Bank launched its digital asset custody service for paying corporate and institutional clients on Wednesday, rolling out commercial safekeeping for bitcoin and ether in Europe. The service shifts the German lender from trial deployments to live fee-earning operations in cryptocurrency infrastructure.

    Custody for Bitcoin and Ether

    The platform provides storage and safekeeping for major digital assets, focusing on corporate treasuries, asset managers, and institutional investors. Deutsche Bank runs the service under European regulatory oversight following preparations announced in September.

    Alongside the rollout, the bank signed a memorandum of understanding with Deutsche Asset Management, its majority-owned asset manager formerly known as DWS. The two units will build shared commercial and technical products across digital custody, fund tokenisation, and asset settlement.

    “In the medium term we aim to deliver a fully integrated, regulated ecosystem that supports the custody, tokenisation, and settlement of digital assets,” said Paul Maley, global head of trust and securities services at Deutsche Bank.

    The Path Into Asian Hubs

    Deutsche Bank confirmed plans to introduce the custody service to Asia, where institutional demand for licensed digital asset intermediaries has concentrated. Both jurisdictions enforce formal licensing regimes for digital token custody and exchange services.

    Regional banks in Asia already hold early positions.

    For institutional allocators and corporate treasuries in Asia, bank-grade custody eliminates counterparty risks associated with retail-focused crypto exchanges. Custody fees and balance-sheet ring-fencing will dictate whether European balance sheets win corporate mandates against established regional lenders.

    Execution and Capital Realities

    Custody operations carry operational risks that retail banks usually avoid. Private key management, offline cold-storage redundancy, and insurance liabilities create overhead costs that require significant volume to break even.

    European lenders faced strict capital treatment for unbacked crypto assets under international banking standards, pushing institutional institutions to focus on custody rather than direct balance-sheet trading. The partnership with Deutsche Asset Management provides an immediate captive user base, funneling institutional fund flows directly into the custody infrastructure.

    The Steps Leading to Launch

    Deutsche Bank applied for a digital asset custody licence earlier in its development cycle to support institutional holdings. In September, the lender formalised its timeline for a European corporate rollout, citing regulatory clearances as the remaining hurdle before launch.

    The commercial rollout on Wednesday completes that European preparation. The bank must now secure local regulatory permissions in Asian financial centres before onboarding clients outside Europe.

  • Bitcoin Climbs Past $87,000 as Crypto Short Liquidations Top $878 Million

    Bitcoin Climbs Past $87,000 as Crypto Short Liquidations Top $878 Million

    Bitcoin rallied 7.7 per cent to touch US$87,354 in New York trading on Sept 21, lifted by positive exchange-traded fund flows and an equity advance.

    The move lifted total cryptocurrency market capitalisation to US$2.8 trillion, its highest level since late January 2026.

    Bearish traders absorbed the brunt of the swing as digital asset liquidations crossed US$1 billion over a 24-hour window, according to data from Coinglass. Short positions accounted for roughly US$878 million of that total, forcing forced buy-backs across derivatives exchanges.

    Rival tokens followed the lead. Dogecoin gained up to 14 per cent, XRP climbed 8 per cent, and Ether rose 4.3 per cent to reach US$2,747. Listed digital asset shares also advanced, with Coinbase Global climbing 3.5 per cent, Circle Internet Group rising 3 per cent, and Strategy jumping 9.5 per cent.

    Derivatives Markets Lean Toward Upside Calls

    Options positions on the Deribit platform showed a sharp rotation toward upside wagers. Traders held more than 272,000 call contracts compared with roughly 154,000 put contracts, signaling strong demand for upside exposure.

    People are repositioning from downside protection to wanting to capture the upside.

    Institutional participation through spot exchange-traded funds provided the baseline liquidity needed to clear derivative resistance levels. The shift forced short sellers to unwind use accumulated during the prior week’s market slump.

    Macro Hurdles Temper Retail Participation

    Capital allocators in Asian trading hubs face a different risk backdrop than during previous speculative peaks. While institutional desks can use regulated funds to trade volatility, retail engagement across regional exchanges remains subdued.

    Competition from artificial intelligence equities has diverted speculative capital that once flowed directly into alternative tokens. With Brent crude trading above US$100 a barrel and US Treasury yields lingering at elevated levels, fund managers are treating crypto gains as tactical liquidity rallies rather than secular bull cycles.

    Legislative Gridlock and Regulatory Approvals

    The rebound unfolded after the market digested two policy setbacks: the failure of the Clarity Act in the US Senate and the Federal Reserve’s first benchmark interest-rate increase in more than three years.

    Relief came on Sept 17 when the Securities and Exchange Commission approved digital versions of securities to trade on domestic platforms. That approval offset legislative disappointment and restored institutional confidence in market structure continuity.

    Bitcoin had previously climbed to a 2026 high above US$97,000 in mid-January before sliding into a multi-month consolidation pattern that left it roughly a third below its October 2025 record.

    Policy Signals to Dictate Price Stability

    Momentum now hinges on whether cash inflows can withstand hawkish guidance from upcoming Federal Reserve speaker appearances throughout the week.

    Trading desks are watching the US$88,000 resistance level to determine if ETF inflows can sustain buying volume without triggering a fresh wave of profit-taking.