Charles Schwab to Launch Spot Bitcoin & Ethereum Trading in 2026: $12 Trillion Giant Enters Crypto

2025-12-05 02:25:26

Charles Schwab, the largest U.S. brokerage with $12.1 trillion in client assets and 38 million active accounts, confirmed on December 3, 2025, that it will roll out direct spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) trading directly inside its existing platform in the first half of 2026.

CEO Rick Wurster made the announcement at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York, stating the move is a direct response to growing client demand for digital assets as a wealth-preservation tool in an era of currency debasement and institutional adoption.

(Sources: X)

Key Details of Charles Schwab’s 2026 Crypto Launch

Timeline: Internal employee testing begins immediately, followed by a limited client pilot in Q1 2026, with full retail rollout targeted for H1 2026.
Assets at launch: Spot Bitcoin and Ethereum (additional coins under review).
Integration: Trades will execute within the same Schwab account used for stocks, ETFs, and retirement plans — no separate crypto exchange needed.
Existing crypto offerings already live:
- Commission-free Bitcoin & Ethereum ETFs (IBIT, FBTC, BITB, ETHA, etc.)
- Bitcoin and MicroStrategy futures
- Options on major Bitcoin ETFs
Strategic rationale: Clients increasingly view Bitcoin and Ethereum as legitimate portfolio diversifiers and inflation hedges, especially after 2025’s institutional wave (Vanguard reversal, Bank of America allocation guidance, U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve).

Why This Is a Game-Changer for Retail Crypto Investors

Feature	Charles Schwab (2026)	Typical U.S. Crypto Exchange (2025)
AUM / Client base	$12.1T / 38M accounts	<$200B combined
Trading fee (expected)	$0 or ≤$1 flat (industry pattern)	0.05–0.60% taker fees
Account type	Same login as IRA/401(k)/brokerage	Separate exchange account
Regulatory oversight	SEC, FINRA, OCC	Varies (some state-only)
Yield on uninvested cash	Yes (sweep account)	Usually none

Bigger Picture: Wall Street’s Final Surrender

Schwab’s entry follows similar moves by:

Vanguard (unbanned Bitcoin ETFs December 2025)
Bank of America (authorized 3–4% allocations November 2025)
JPMorgan (opened ETF recommendations to wealth clients November 2025)

CEO Wurster also hinted at potential crypto-related acquisitions in 2026 to accelerate development, signaling the firm views digital assets as a permanent fixture rather than an experiment.

What It Means for Investors

Starting in 2026, millions of retirement savers and everyday investors will be able to buy actual Bitcoin and Ethereum with the same ease and cost as purchasing Apple or Tesla stock — all while keeping everything under one trusted, heavily regulated roof.

For the first time, mainstream America will have frictionless, commission-free access to the two largest cryptocurrencies through the same brokerage that already manages their 401(k)s and college savings plans.

The institutional adoption of Bitcoin and Ethereum just went from inevitable to unavoidable.

BTC-3.42%

ETH-4.01%

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