Charles Schwab Opens Cryptocurrency Trading on Stock Platform... "The era of selling only ETFs is a thing of the past"

▲ Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH)/AI Generated Image

Charles Schwab has launched direct trading services for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) for some individual clients. As a major traditional financial institution in the U.S. adds spot cryptocurrency trading functionality to its existing stock and bond investment platform, individual investors on Wall Street now have expanded access to cryptocurrencies.

Cryptopotato reported on the 13th that Charles Schwab began sequentially offering new Schwab Crypto accounts to individual clients starting on Tuesday. Through these accounts, users can directly trade Bitcoin and Ethereum on the platform alongside traditional investment products.

The service is currently available to most residents within the United States, excluding residents of New York, Louisiana, and U.S. territories. International users outside the U.S. cannot yet use Schwab Crypto accounts. To open a Schwab Crypto account, one must already hold an eligible Charles Schwab brokerage account, with individual and joint brokerage accounts being supported.

The custody and trade execution structure has also been revealed. Schwab Premier Bank will act as the custodian for this service, while Paxos will handle trade execution and sub-custody services. Cryptopotato reported that Schwab Crypto plans to charge a transaction fee of 75 basis points (bp).

This launch is an extension of Charles Schwab's efforts to expand its presence in the cryptocurrency market. Last month, the company opened a dedicated cryptocurrency page under the Schwab Crypto brand on its website to meet individual investors' demand for direct exposure to digital assets. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab is one of the largest banking and financial services institutions in the U.S., managing approximately $12 trillion in assets.

However, despite the expansion of direct cryptocurrency trading services by a major traditional financial institution, there has been no significant change in the prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Cryptopotato reported that Bitcoin remained around $80,000, and Ethereum traded around $2,300.

Charles Schwab's Q1 2026 earnings also drew attention. The company reported a net income of $2.5 billion for the first quarter, with adjusted earnings, excluding certain transaction-related costs, totaling $2.6 billion. Adjusted earnings per share increased by 38% year-over-year to $1.43.

Quarterly revenue rose 16% year-over-year to $6.48 billion. As of the end of March, client assets totaled $11.77 trillion, a 19% increase from a year ago. Charles Schwab recorded $140 billion in core net new assets during the quarter and opened 1.3 million new brokerage accounts, increasing the total number of client accounts to 47.2 million.

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