Charles Schwab opens bitcoin and ether trading to eligible retail clients
Schwab says all eligible clients can now trade spot bitcoin and ether, at a 0.75% fee, in 48 US states. Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink are planned by year-end.
Charles Schwab has completed the rollout of spot bitcoin and ether trading for its retail clients. "All clients can now access Schwab Crypto," chief executive Rick Wurster said on the company's third-quarter earnings call on 15 October 2026, adding that Schwab is rolling out the ability to transfer existing crypto holdings to the platform.
The service is available in 48 US states; it is not offered in New York or Louisiana, in US territories or outside the United States, and applications are reviewed. Trades carry a fee of 0.75% of their dollar value. Crypto is held in a separate account at Charles Schwab Premier Bank, with Paxos providing sub-custody and execution, and Schwab states that the holdings are not covered by SIPC or FDIC protection.
Schwab plans to add Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink by the end of the year.
The broker reported record third-quarter revenue of 7.2 billion dollars, up 17%, with 13.33 trillion dollars of client assets and 40.3 million active brokerage accounts at 30 September. It has not disclosed how many clients use the crypto service.
Why it matters: when one of the largest US brokers offers direct crypto next to stocks and funds, the barrier between traditional investing and digital assets becomes thinner. The risks of the asset do not change: prices remain highly volatile, and the protections that apply to securities accounts do not apply here.