Advancements in technologies and digitalisation make the environments where companies operate more dynamic. Therefore, this master thesis examines the potential for a crypto bank offering services focused on cryptocurrencies and developing a framework to identify relevant digital ecosystems. The main research question is “Is it possible to support a crypto bank offering crypto services by following a framework that enables the identification and understanding of relevant digital ecosystems? The main research question is fragmented into six sub-research questions to guide the study.

Sub-research questions focus on the definition of a crypto bank, how to select digital ecosystems and the evaluation of potential benefits and challenges a digital ecosystem may offer. The study further investigates whether a crypto bank can maintain a strategic fit with a digital ecosystem, how well potential opportunities may be assessed and the right partnership and collaboration can be established in a digital ecosystem, and also on how it can successfully enter a digital ecosystem. Therefore, this thesis sets up a conceptual framework that can support crypto banks to enter digital ecosystems. Although the integration of a crypto bank into a digital ecosystem leads to new opportunities, the literature review indicates that neither academia nor business environments have evolved to guide through this process. Since the aim of this thesis is to support practitioners, a pragmatic research philosophy is used.

In a nutshell, this thesis sheds light on the intersection of crypto banking and digital ecosystems, identifies what a crypto bank is and develops a conceptual framework that can support crypto banks to successfully navigate complex yet dynamic environments. Moreover, the findings are expected to enrich the ongoing discussions on digital transformation in banking, with a focus on the increasing influence of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.