After opening direct Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading to its massive retail investor base, Charles Schwab is preparing to bring those same capabilities to the professional wealth management space.
According to a Citywire report, Charles Schwab is preparing to roll out crypto spot trading and custody capabilities for advisors in 2027. Jalina Kerr, Managing Director at Schwab Advisor Services, said the company is aiming for a launch next year, pending regulatory and operational developments.
“When it comes to spot trading and the ability to transfer crypto assets and custody them, we’re on track for next year, probably more like the middle of the year; we don’t have exact dates,” Kerr said.
Schwab expands crypto push beyond retail investors
The planned advisor-focused offering follows Schwab’s move earlier this year to launch Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading for its retail investor base.
In May 2026, the company opened spot crypto trading access to its 39 million retail accounts, allowing eligible customers to directly trade Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, the service excluded residents of New York and Louisiana due to licensing restrictions.
The upcoming advisor platform expansion signals Schwab’s growing commitment to digital assets as demand from both retail and wealth management clients continues to rise.
The push for consolidated wealth management
According to Kerr, many advisors are increasingly encountering clients who already hold crypto assets outside traditional brokerage accounts and want those holdings incorporated into broader wealth management strategies.
“If they have a client who is holding crypto assets somewhere else, and they really want their advisor to be responsible for helping them manage that conversation and have it be a part of the total wealth conversation, it’s going to be important for them to be able to custody those in a place that feels safe,” she said.
Kerr noted that advisors have historically preferred gaining crypto exposure through exchange-traded products (ETPs), but interest in direct ownership and spot trading has been steadily increasing.
Regulatory complexity remains a challenge
Schwab executives acknowledged that building crypto infrastructure remains significantly more complex than traditional securities trading due to the unique operational and regulatory requirements surrounding digital assets.
“What’s really interesting about this space is that it’s not governed the same way other brokerage and security items are,” Kerr said. “You have to think all of these things through, from how you put cash in these accounts to how you get cash out of these accounts.”
The comments reflect broader industry efforts to integrate digital assets into traditional financial services as regulators continue developing clearer frameworks for crypto custody, trading, and investor protection.
The move could also help Schwab compete more directly with Fidelity, its closest rival in the RIA custody market. Fidelity already offers crypto custody and trading services for wealth managers, giving advisors access to digital assets within their existing client management infrastructure.
As more advisory firms seek to include cryptocurrencies within diversified portfolios, access to regulated custody and trading solutions is becoming an increasingly important competitive differentiator among major custodians.
While 2026 has been challenging for crypto investors, with Bitcoin remaining down over 3%, Schwab’s continued expansion into the sector suggests major financial institutions remain confident in the long-term role of digital assets within wealth management.
Also read: Coinbase Launches in India With Direct INR Rails, Spot Trading, & Perpetual Futures
