Brokerage giant Charles Schwab, which manages about $12 trillion in customer assets, has begun launching spot cryptocurrency trading services for U.S. retail clients.
First customers can now trade Bitcoin The company launched Ethereum (ETH) on the Schwab Crypto platform on Tuesday.
Last July, CEO Rick Wurster said the company planned to launch cryptocurrency trading in the near future, and last month confirmed a timeline for the first half of 2026.
The Westlake, Texas-based company already offers cryptocurrency investments through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and futures trading.
The ability to trade real assets directly through a company of Schwab’s size could become a key accelerator for mainstream cryptocurrency adoption.
As one of the largest brokerage firms in the world, Charles Schwab can offer its approximately 35 million clients the opportunity to trade BTC and ETH in an environment they already recognize, without having to register with an independent cryptocurrency exchange.