$12T Schwab Confirms Spot Bitcoin and Ethereum Trading Set for 2026 Launch

• Schwab is preparing to launch spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading by 2026, opening direct crypto access to more than $12 trillion in client assets.
• The move reflects rising user demand and deepening institutional engagement, suggesting both BTC and ETH could benefit from greater market stability, liquidity, and mainstream participation.

Charles Schwab, the Wall Street stalwart with roughly $10–12 trillion under management, has announced a major improve of its platform. Schwab will support direct spot trading for both Bitcoin and Ethereum for clients, targeting the first half of 2026 for launch.

During remarks at the Reuters Next conference, CEO Rick Wurster confirmed the intention to begin with internal trials among employees and then roll out to a small group of clients before a bigger launch event. By offering spot trades directly, Schwab aims to streamline costs, improve convenience, and provide a regulated alternative to traditional crypto platforms. Concerning the launch,  MEX news noted that:

As we explained in our previous remarks, Crypto ETPs already saw a sharp swing back to strong inflows led by Bitcoin, Ethereum.

Bitcoin Market Setting Ahead of Schwab’s 2026

Bitcoin stands to become more accessible to millions of traditional investors who until now have only had indirect exposure through ETFs, derivatives, or outside exchanges.

According to recent data, interest at Schwab is robust: site traffic to Schwab’s crypto portal reportedly spiked by approximately 400% in a short period, reflecting growing user demand. Meanwhile, overall visits to the crypto section of Schwab have increased nearly 90% year-over-year, signaling that clients are re-evaluating how they allocate portfolios.

As of now, Bitcoin is trading at $93,551 with increased of 1.23% in the past day and 2.91% in the past week. See Bitcoin (BTC) price chart below.

Ethereum Outlook While Schwab Preparing

Known for powering smart-contract ecosystems, decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and decentralized applications, ETH attracts not only investors seeking speculative upside but also those interested in exposure to blockchain innovation. With Schwab planning to bring up spot ETH trading, many of those who have stayed on the sidelines due to custody or complexity concerns may re-evaluate.

Furthermore, Schwab’s crypto-ETP clients already hold Ethereum exposure via the institutional vehicles, but many prefer to hold the real asset. From the market’s perspective, greater institutional access to ETH could support long-term stability.

Like Bitcoin, Ethereum (ETH) is trading also showing growth signal, it trades at the price of $3,212.86, increasing at 5.51% in the past day and 5.4% in the past week. See Ethereum (ETH) price chart below.