Overview
- A Schwab spokesperson on Friday said the firm remains on track to debut spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum in the first half of 2026 and opened an early-access waitlist for a new Schwab Crypto account.
- Access will roll out in phases that start with employees, then invited clients, before broader availability to U.S. residents, with New York and Louisiana currently excluded.
- Clients will buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum in a dedicated Schwab Crypto account operated by Charles Schwab Premier Bank, which does not carry SIPC or FDIC protection.
- The move brings direct crypto trading to a platform overseeing roughly $12 trillion and about 46 million accounts, positioning Schwab to compete with Coinbase, Robinhood, and Webull.
- Schwab has not disclosed fees or a specific launch date, and its bank-run design reflects a regulated approach shaped by recent U.S. policy shifts that opened the door for large brokerages to offer crypto.