Charles Schwab Corporation Confirms Bitcoin and Ethereum Spot Trading Scheduled for 2026
- Charles Schwab Corporation will begin its own Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading in 2026.
- Schwab CEO Rick Wurster speaks of future crypto acquisitions, while a rather negative mood increases the pressure on the stock exchanges.
The confirmation came directly from CEO Rick Wurster during his appearance at the Reuters Next conference in New York. The introduction will take place gradually. Schwab will initially test the product internally with employees.
They then want to offer limited access to selected customers. Wider access will come in later phases, although no date for general access has been announced yet. Wurster emphasized that the company will roll out gradually to maintain quality assurance throughout the process.
Schwab is also currently examining possible takeovers. Wurster noted that the company would consider purchasing a crypto company if the opportunity and price are right. He didn’t name specific goals, but emphasized that strategic deals could add capabilities that are attractive to customers and increase value.
Schwab’s zero trades raise concerns about pricing
Concerns have arisen over Bitcoin spot trading pricing. Eric Balchunas, an ETF analyst at Bloomberg, called fees a critical factor and noted that Schwab already offers free stock and ETF trades. He noted that prices below 50 basis points could put pressure on existing crypto exchanges and distort competition.
We knew this was coming, big q tho: What is the fee? Schwab has free ETF and stock trading. If crypto also free, look out $COIN. Hell, anything under 50bps is big threat to crypto exchanges IMO. On flip, ETFs are already free to trade and have 1-2bp spread so pretty much imposs… https://t.co/FVR79Wx0mH
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) December 3, 2025
In November, Schwab acquired the private equity platform Forge Global for $660 million. Rick Wurster justified the takeover with increasing customer demand for pre-IPO access. The acquisition is expected to open trading opportunities outside of public markets, provide clients with access to previously limited investment opportunities and help them expand their portfolios.
Wurster described the end of the year as stronger in terms of trading activity. Schwab’s average daily trading volume in the fourth quarter exceeded that of the first months of 2025. Customer balances exceeded internal forecasts, supported by market developments.
Additionally, Africa Bitcoin Corporation went public in Germany to attract global investors and raise capital outside of its home market. The company aims to showcase its digital assets activities, which include mining, custody and payments, and highlight ongoing structural projects in African markets to generate broader interest in Bitcoin-related projects in key regions.
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