Charles Schwab is preparing to expand its crypto offerings by launching spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum, according to CEO Rick Wurster.
In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Wurster said Schwab clients already hold significant exposure to crypto via exchange-traded products (ETPs), owning more than 20% of the industry’s crypto ETP market. However, he noted that crypto still represents a relatively small portion of clients’ total wealth, around $25 billion out of $10.8 trillion.
“We anticipate launching Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) sometime soon so that our clients have access to that,” he said. “We think that will be an acceleration of our growth.”
The CEO claimed that many clients currently keep 98% of their wealth with Schwab but hold just 1% to 2% of their crypto assets with digital-native firms. “They really want to bring it back to Schwab because they trust us. They want us to sit alongside their other assets,” he added.
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Schwab to compete against Coinbase
Wurster said that Schwab is “absolutely” looking to compete against crypto exchanges like Coinbase by introducing spot crypto trading. “If they’re buying their crypto at Coinbase, we would love to see them bring their crypto back to Schwab,” he said.
Earlier this year, Wurster said the company expects an April 2026 launch window to provide spot Bitcoin trading services to Schwab clients. At the time, he cited a 400% increase in traffic to Schwab’s crypto website as evidence of investor interest in digital assets.
Schwab has increased its involvement in the crypto sector amid growing regulatory clarity. In 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Federal Reserve rescinded earlier restrictive guidelines issued after the FTX collapse. The change allows banks to participate in crypto activities such as custody and trading.
Following approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Schwab added Bitcoin and Ether ETFs to its platform. The company also provides other crypto-related products, including mixed ETFs, mutual funds, and Bitcoin options, according to its website.
Related: Crypto tops fixed-income on ETF investor wishlist: Schwab Survey
Institutions ramp up crypto investments
A survey conducted in March by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon found that 83% of institutional investors intend to increase their crypto holdings in 2025, with many already investing in altcoins beyond Bitcoin and Ether.
The survey identified XRP (XRP) and Solana (SOL) as the most favored assets among respondents. It also showed that most expect to allocate 5% or more of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies this year.
Similarly, a May report by Fireblocks found that 90% of institutional players are using or exploring stablecoins, with almost half already deploying them for payments.
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