Team & company: Digital Assets & Currencies Transformation Team, Deutsche Bank
Finalist: Investment Bank of the Year
Social: LinkedIn: @DeutscheBank @DeutscheBankCorporateBank
How does it feel to be shortlisted for the Capital Pioneer Awards 2026?
We’re genuinely honoured to be shortlisted. It’s a meaningful recognition of the progress we’ve made in building a credible, client-focused digital assets capability, and of the day-to-day work across many teams to deliver innovation safely, at scale.
What does this recognition mean to your organisation?
This recognition reinforces that the industry is moving from experimentation to production, and that our approach, grounded in strong governance, risk management, and client needs is the right one. For our organisation, it’s a boost for the many colleagues who’ve contributed, and a signal to clients and partners that we’re committed for the long term.
What part of your work/campaign are you most proud of?
We’re most proud of building momentum across multiple fronts at once: establishing the foundations (controls, operating model, and stakeholder alignment), turning complex concepts into clear client propositions, and delivering tangible outcomes while keeping safety, resilience, and regulatory readiness at the centre of every decision.
We are engaged in many initiatives including Project Agora and Project Guardian, which are helping to lead us towards new developments in tokenised deposits and stablecoins.
What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge has been delivering at pace in a fast-evolving market while navigating a complex risk, legal, and regulatory landscape. We overcame this by working in truly cross-functional squads, engaging stakeholders early, agreeing clear risk principles, and investing in repeatable governance so we can move quickly without compromising on controls.
How do you see the industry evolving in the next few years?
We expect digital assets to become increasingly integrated into mainstream market infrastructure: more tokenised real-world assets, more institutional-grade custody and settlement, and deeper interoperability between traditional and blockchain rails. At the same time, regulation and market standards will mature, raising the bar on transparency, controls, and operational resilience, and making trusted, well-governed platforms a key differentiator.
If you could give one piece of advice to others entering these awards in the future, what would it be?
Tell a clear story of impact: what problem you solved, who benefited, and how you delivered it responsibly. Be specific where you can (outcomes, adoption, scale), and don’t underestimate the importance of governance and collaboration, successful digital assets work is rarely “one team” acting alone.
How do you celebrate success?
We celebrate by taking time to recognise the people behind the outcomes, quick shout-outs in team forums, sharing learnings across stakeholders, and marking major milestones together. Just as importantly, we treat small wins as signals of progress: a resolved control gap, a smoother process, or a client insight that sharpens our direction.
Are you a finalist and would like to get involved?
Please email Megan McCabe, Marketing Manager, at megan.mccabe@rhoticmedia.com.
