Charles Schwab Begins Spot Bitcoin and Ether Trading for Retail Clients

Charles Schwab has begun rolling out spot cryptocurrency trading for retail customers in the United States. An initial group of clients gained access Tuesday to trade bitcoin and ether directly on the Schwab Crypto platform. The company, which manages around $12 trillion in client assets, posted the announcement on X.

The phased introduction marks the first time many of its roughly 35 million customers can buy and sell the actual digital assets within their existing brokerage accounts rather than registering on a standalone crypto exchange.

The rollout started on May 13, 2026.

It follows statements from the company last month confirming a first-half 2026 launch target. In July of the previous year the chief executive officer said the firm planned to introduce crypto trading in the near future. The Westlake, Texas-based brokerage already provides customers with indirect exposure through exchange-traded funds and futures contracts.

Direct trading access through a major traditional brokerage could accelerate mainstream cryptocurrency adoption. Customers gain the ability to hold bitcoin and ether in an environment they already use for stocks and bonds. The company has not yet detailed the full schedule for expanding access beyond the initial group. No immediate changes were announced to its existing ETF or futures offerings.

“Starting today, the first group of clients can trade Bitcoin" — Charles Schwab announcement, May 13, 2026 (Bitcoin Magazine). The development arrives as bitcoin traded near $80,000 and ether posted modest gains on the day of the announcement. Market reaction to the news itself remained limited in early trading.”