Major European Banks Signal Renewed US Crypto Focus Amid Policy Shifts

Summary

  • Renewed US Crypto Push by Major Banks: Prompted by perceived shifts towards a more favorable regulatory climate under the Trump administration, European banking giants Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered are intensifying their efforts to expand cryptocurrency services within the United States.

  • Distinct Strategies, Common Goal: While Deutsche Bank focuses on strategic partnerships (e.g., with Bison and Crypto.com) to facilitate crypto transactions and custody, Standard Chartered emphasizes infrastructure development (e.g., digital collateral program, stablecoin initiative) to integrate digital assets into institutional workflows.

  • Broader Integration Trend: The moves by these banks reflect a wider industry trend where traditional finance is increasingly engaging with the maturing digital asset sector, potentially heralding a future where crypto and conventional banking are more deeply intertwined in the US financial system.

A changing regulatory climate in the United States is reportedly driven by policy adjustments under the current Trump Administration and is encouraging major European financial institutions, Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered, to accelerate their cryptocurrency strategies within the US market.

Following high-profile industry failures such as the FTX collapse and the closure of crypto-centric banks Silvergate and Signature, mainstream finance largely distanced itself from digital assets, but the climate in 2025 appears significantly more receptive.

A report from the Wall Street Journal highlights that this renewed push coincides with reported shifts in US policy.

Sources suggest the Trump administration has initiated changes to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) regulatory posture toward crypto assets and has authorized the establishment of a digital asset reserve.

This evolving landscape is prompting traditional banks to compete more vigorously for leadership roles in what they perceive as a newly viable sector.

Deutsche Bank Strengthens Global Crypto Engagements and Pursues US Market Entry

While Deutsche Bank’s involvement in the digital asset space is not new, its recent actions indicate a distinct intensification of its strategic focus.

In January 2025, the prominent German bank partnered with Bison, the cryptocurrency trading application associated with the Börse Stuttgart Group.

Under this arrangement, Deutsche Bank now handles the custodial safeguarding of euro funds for Bison customers, functioning alongside Bison’s existing banking partner, Solaris SE, as part of a multi-provider strategy.

Before this development, Deutsche Bank had already extended its services into the Asian market via a strategic collaboration with Crypto.com.

This partnership provides a wide array of corporate banking functions in key jurisdictions such as Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong.

The bank is positioning itself to streamline fiat-to-crypto conversions, facilitate international payments, and supply essential financial services for crypto enterprises operating in regulated territories.

Furthermore, Deutsche Bank has stated its intention to establish similar service models in the United Kingdom and other European regions.

Standard Chartered Develops Institutional Crypto Solutions Ahead of US Expansion

Differing somewhat from Deutsche Bank’s emphasis on partnerships and technical applications, Standard Chartered has concentrated on building out core infrastructure and aligning closely with regulatory developments.

In April 2025, the institution introduced a digital collateral mirroring initiative alongside OKX and Franklin Templeton.

Governed by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), this program enables institutional market participants to utilize tokenized money market funds and various cryptocurrencies as collateral for their trading activities.

A key feature involves holding the collateral assets separate from the exchange platform, with Standard Chartered acting as the regulated custodian through its presence in the Dubai International Financial Centre.

This setup aims to make better use of capital and lower risks from other parties, marking an important step in bringing digital assets into traditional financial systems.

In parallel, Standard Chartered is entering the competitive stablecoin market.

Its Hong Kong entity, SCBHK, has formed a consortium with Animoca Brands and HKT with the goal of launching a stablecoin pegged to the Hong Kong dollar.

This group intends to seek authorization for stablecoin issuance under the new regulatory framework established by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA).

This venture draws upon Standard Chartered’s earlier participation in HKMA-led pilot projects exploring tokenized financial instruments.

Broader Trends and Future Implications

The intensified interest shown by Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered in augmenting their US crypto activities reflects a wider industry shift.

This movement is fueled by a confluence of factors: a more favorable political backdrop, encouraging regulatory adjustments, and the ongoing maturation of the global digital asset infrastructure.

Also Read: Bitpanda Uses Deutsche Bank to Process Crypto Transactions Right away

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