Charles Schwab Says Bitcoin Still Has Strong Fundamentals as Its Crypto Trading Platform Goes Fully Live
Key Takeaways
- •Charles Schwab completed the full retail rollout of its Schwab Crypto offering around October 16, 2026, enabling eligible clients to trade Bitcoin and Ether directly for a 0.75% fee per trade.
- •Analyst Adam Lynch pointed to nearly $60 billion in crypto ETF inflows since early 2024 as evidence that digital asset demand extends beyond a passing trend.
- •Jim Ferraioli, Schwab's Head of Crypto Research, noted Bitcoin's volatility has fallen to about 40 from a previous range of 50 to 60, while its market capitalization stands at roughly $1.6 trillion.
- •The research team cited US regulatory progress, including greater clarity on the treatment of Bitcoin and Ether as digital commodities.
- •Schwab clients hold approximately 20% of assets in spot crypto ETFs within the firm's $13 trillion in managed assets, and the firm plans to add more tokens to its platform by the end of the year.
Charles Schwab's crypto research team maintains that Bitcoin still has strong fundamentals for the future, and the group expects regulatory progress to support the broader digital asset market.
Schwab Researchers Point to Deepening Demand
Analyst Adam Lynch made the case on October 15, 2026, pointing to nearly $60 billion in ETF inflows since early 2024 as evidence that demand runs deeper than a passing trend.
“Bitcoin is strong. It's powerful… still has strong fundamentals for the future,” Lynch said.
Jim Ferraioli, Schwab's Head of Crypto Research, noted that Bitcoin's volatility now sits at about 40, down from a previous range of 50 to 60. He also placed Bitcoin's market capitalization at approximately $1.6 trillion and said the tokenization of real-world assets has reached around $50 billion.
On the regulatory front, the team cited progress in the United States, including greater clarity on the treatment of Bitcoin and Ether as digital commodities — the same two assets at the center of Schwab's own retail rollout the following day.
Schwab Crypto Goes Fully Live for Retail Clients
Schwab completed the full retail rollout of its Schwab Crypto offering around October 16, 2026. Eligible clients can now trade Bitcoin and Ether directly inside their Schwab accounts, with each trade carrying a fee of 0.75%. The firm plans to add more tokens to the platform by the end of the year.
The service runs through Schwab's Premier Bank, with Paxos providing sub-custody support and handling execution. Chief Executive Rick Wurster has described crypto trading as a new source of revenue for the firm.
The launch builds on exposure its clients have already established: Schwab's clients hold approximately 20% of the assets in spot crypto ETFs, within the firm's $13 trillion in managed assets. Direct trading now lets eligible clients hold Bitcoin and Ether in the same accounts where they manage the rest of their portfolios.
What It Means for Investors and the Industry
Schwab's research suggests modest allocations to crypto within diversified portfolios. For cost-conscious traders, the 0.75% per-trade fee will serve as one point of comparison. Attention will also turn to whether Schwab follows through on its plan to add more tokens by year-end, which would broaden the platform beyond its initial two assets.
