Brokerage services giant Charles Schwab plans to launch spot cryptocurrency trading in the first half of 2026, moving further into the digital asset space.
“We remain on track to launch spot cryptocurrency products 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 will allow users to buy and sell the two largest cryptocurrencies. The company will provide the service through Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB.
The move follows comments from CEO Rick Wurster, who said last July that Schwab planned to launch cryptocurrency trading “soon” to meet customer demand. He sees the effort as a way to bring digital assets into the same account view as stocks and bonds, pushing for a more unified investment platform.
Schwab’s scale could give it an advantage as it enters a market long dominated by crypto-native exchanges. The company reports that client assets will reach $11.9 trillion by 2025, providing a built-in foundation for retail and institutional investors who may prefer to trade cryptocurrencies in a familiar brokerage environment rather than using a standalone platform.
The company already allows customers to invest in cryptocurrency-related 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 industry.
