Company: ADZCF
Filing Date: 2025-03-13
Form Type: 20-F
Source: 0001159508-25-000020
Chunk: 44

Company: DEUTSCHE BANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Filing Date: 2025-03-13
Form: 20-F
Chunk 44
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 penalties if the DOJ determines that that bank has not provided sufficient information about applicable individuals in connection with an investigation. Other governmental authorities could adopt similar policies. In addition, the financial impact of legal risks arising out of matters similar to some of those the bank faces have been very large for a number of participants in the financial services industry, with fines and settlement payments greatly exceeding what market participants may have expected and, as noted above, escalating steeply in recent years to unprecedented levels. The experience of others, including settlement terms, in similar cases is among the factors the bank takes into consideration in determining the level of provisions the bank maintains in respect of these legal risks. Developments in cases involving other financial institutions in recent years have led to greater uncertainty as to the predictability of outcomes and could lead the bank to add provisions. Moreover, if these matters are resolved on terms that are more adverse to the bank than expected, in terms of the costs or necessary changes to the bank’s businesses, or if related negative perceptions concerning its business and prospects and related business impacts increase, Deutsche Bank may not be able to achieve its strategic objectives or may be required to change them. In addition, the costs of the bank’s investigations and defenses relating to these matters are themselves substantial. Further uncertainty may arise as a result of a lack of coordination among regulators from different jurisdictions or among regulators with varying competencies in a single jurisdiction, which may make it difficult for the bank to reach concurrent settlements with each regulator. Should the bank be subject to financial impacts arising out of litigation and regulatory matters to which the bank is subject in excess of those it has calculated in accordance with its expectations and the relevant accounting rules, provisions in respect of such risks may prove to be materially insufficient to cover these impacts. This could have a material adverse effect on the bank’s results of operations, financial condition or reputation as well as on the bank’s ability to maintain capital, leverage and liquidity ratios at levels expected by market participants and regulators. In such an event, the bank could find it necessary to reduce its risk-weighted assets (including on terms disadvantageous to the bank) or substantially cut costs to improve these ratios, in an amount corresponding to the adverse effects of the provisioning shortfall.

| 29 |

| Deutsche Bank                   |
| Annual Report 2024 on Form 20-F |

Deutsche Bank is currently involved in civil proceedings in connection with its voluntary takeover offer for the acquisition of all shares of Postbank. The extent of the bank’s financial exposure to this matter could be material, and the bank