Bitcoin and Ethereum Soon Available for Spot Purchase at Charles Schwab

The American financial giant Charles Schwab is about to reach a historic milestone. By the end of the first half of 2026, its clients will be able to buy Bitcoin and Ethereum directly on the platform. An announcement that comes at a time when the crypto market is going through a period of turbulence. 

Charles Schwab is about to launch spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum

Charles Schwab, one of the most powerful brokers in the United States with over 12.2 trillion dollars in assets under management, will offer direct purchase of Bitcoin and Ethereum to its American clients. The launch is scheduled before the end of the first half of 2026, a company spokesperson confirmed to Decrypt media. The machine is in motion.

CEO Rick Wurster had already revealed it last March during an interview with Barron’s. The deployment will start in a restricted manner in the second quarter, before progressively opening to the entire clientele. Interested individuals can already register on Schwab’s site to try to secure early access.

One detail did not escape observers: a new page titled “Schwab Crypto” recently appeared in the “Investment Products” section of the official site. The signal is strong. 

Until now, Charles Schwab mainly offered indirect exposure to the crypto market via ETFs or stocks linked to the sector, such as Coinbase (COIN) and Strategy (MSTR). This time, the company takes a further step by preparing to offer direct access to digital assets.

The offer will not be open to everyone from the start. The service will be reserved for US residents, except those in New York and Louisiana, two jurisdictions where the regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies remain stricter.

A strategic shift in a stormy market

This announcement comes in a particularly turbulent environment for cryptos. Bitcoin just closed its worst quarter with a nearly 22% drop since January.

It traded on Friday around 66,864 dollars, a decline of 47% from its all-time high of 126,080 dollars. Ethereum, meanwhile, hovers around 2,052 dollars, down 59% from its peak.

Trade wars, tariffs, and the Fed’s restrictive monetary policy: risky assets have taken the full brunt of macroeconomic uncertainties. Yet, it is precisely in this context that Schwab chooses to accelerate.

This is no accident. For years, the company justified its caution due to lack of regulatory clarity. Since Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House, the wind has shifted. The SEC adopts a more accommodating stance towards the crypto industry, and large financial institutions take advantage of this window to reposition their offerings.

Schwab goes even further: Wurster clearly stated the firm’s ambition concerning stablecoins. “Stablecoins are likely to play a role in transactions on blockchains, and that’s something we want to be able to offer“, he said during an earnings conference.

In short, Charles Schwab’s entry into spot trading marks a new phase in the institutionalization of cryptos in the United States. With over 12.2 trillion dollars in assets under management, the company represents one of the strongest bridges between traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem. Its stock (SCHW) has also risen nearly 19% over one year, outperforming Bitcoin’s performance over the same period.