Securities services giant Charles Schwab plans to expand into digital assets by rolling out cryptocurrency spot trading in the first half of 2026.
“We are on track to begin offering spot cryptocurrencies in the first half of 2026, starting with Bitcoin and Ether (ETH),” a company spokesperson told CoinDesk on Friday.
The company has opened a waiting list for customers seeking early access to Schwab Crypto accounts, which allow users to buy and sell the two major cryptocurrencies. The company offers its services through Charles Schwab Premier Bank (SSB).
The move follows CEO Rick Wurster’s comments last July that Schwab aims to introduce crypto trading “soon” in response to customer demand. He framed the effort as a way to bring digital assets into the same account view as stocks and bonds in a push for more integrated investment platforms.
Schwab’s size could give it an advantage as it enters a market long dominated by native crypto exchanges. The company reports customer assets of $11.9 trillion in 2025 and provides a built-in foundation for retail and institutional investors who prefer trading cryptocurrencies within a familiar brokerage environment rather than using a standalone platform.
The company already allows customers to invest in cryptocurrency-linked ETFs and trade Bitcoin futures on its platform. It also launched the Schwab Crypto Thematic Index (STCE), an ETF that tracks the performance of companies related to the digital asset sector.
