Quick answer: Yes. On Oct. 15, 2026, Charles Schwab CEO Rick Wurster said all clients can now access Schwab Crypto, which offers spot bitcoin and ether at 0.75% per trade. Crypto transfers are rolling out in phases, and Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink are planned by the end of 2026, per Schwab and The Defiant.
Charles Schwab has finished rolling out Schwab Crypto to its retail base. “All clients can now access Schwab Crypto,” CEO Rick Wurster said during the firm’s Fall Business Update on Oct. 15, 2026, according to The Defiant. The company confirmed it on X on Oct. 16 at 14:04 UTC: Schwab Crypto accounts are now available to all eligible retail clients.
As a result, spot bitcoin and ether now sit next to stocks and bonds at one of the world’s largest brokerages. The firm reported $13.33 trillion in client assets and 40.3 million active brokerage accounts at the end of September in its Q3 2026 earnings release.
What changed with Schwab Crypto on Oct. 15?
The service first reached a small group of clients in May 2026 with bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH), per Schwab’s Aug. 27, 2026 press release. In other words, the Oct. 15 update ends that phased launch; it is not the firm’s first step into spot digital assets.
Wurster also said the firm is “rolling out the ability for clients to transfer their crypto holdings to Schwab” and plans to add three new coins by year-end. According to The Defiant, he also framed digital assets as a new source of transaction-based revenue.
However, one caveat matters. The 40.3 million figure counts brokerage accounts across the business, not the number of people approved to trade coins, as CoinScreamer points out.
How much does Schwab charge to trade bitcoin?
The brokerage charges 0.75% of trade value with zero spread, according to its Schwab Crypto page. For example, a $1,000 bitcoin purchase costs $7.50 in fees.
Clients trade on the website, the mobile app or thinkorswim. In addition, they can place market, limit, stop and stop-limit orders, sized in coins or in dollars, and call specialists 24/7. You can track live prices on our Bitcoin price page and Ethereum price page. As of Oct. 16, 2026, 23:55 UTC, BTC traded near $81,500 and ETH near $2,420, per CoinGecko.
Who can open a Schwab Crypto account?
Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB provides the coin account, which links to a regular brokerage account. Still, the bank must approve each applicant. The rules exclude residents of New York, Louisiana, U.S. territories and other countries, according to CoinScreamer’s review.
Meanwhile, Paxos Trust Company acts as a sub-custodian for client coins, CoinScreamer reported. FDIC insurance and SIPC protection do not apply, although the firm says its Security Guarantee covers the holdings. Readers who prefer to hold their own keys can compare that model with our self-custody wallet setup guide.
Can you move coins in and out of Schwab?
Transfers are arriving in phases, and the firm emails clients once the feature goes live for them. First, users complete identity checks and set up a passkey. Bitcoin then moves on the Bitcoin network and ether on Ethereum. Users must also pre-approve withdrawal addresses and wait at least 24 hours after adding a new one, according to CoinScreamer’s summary of the FAQs.
Which coins are next on Schwab?
The firm said on Aug. 27 that Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX) and Chainlink (LINK) would arrive “in the coming months.” Wurster’s Oct. 15 remarks put them on track for the end of 2026, but it has not named an exact date. The current product page still lists only BTC and ETH. See our Solana price page for SOL.
What does this mean for the crypto market?
Distribution is the story. Many brokerage clients could already get exposure through spot ETFs, explained in our guide to how crypto ETFs work. By contrast, direct coins inside a mainstream account remove the need to open an exchange account. They also add a new on-ramp that sits outside daily Bitcoin ETF flows data.
Similarly, banks and brokers worldwide are moving the same way. Standard Chartered opened bitcoin and ether trading for UAE clients this week, while index providers are tightening rules on crypto-heavy companies, as seen in MSCI’s Strategy decision. Even so, how much new money flows in is still unknown, because the firm has not published account or volume numbers for the service.
Schwab Crypto FAQ
Is Schwab Crypto available to all clients now?
Yes, for eligible clients. CEO Rick Wurster said on Oct. 15, 2026 that all clients can now access the service, and the firm confirmed it on X on Oct. 16. However, it excludes residents of New York, Louisiana, U.S. territories and other countries, and each account still needs approval.
What are the Schwab Crypto fees?
The firm charges 0.75% of the trade value with zero spread on bitcoin and ether trades, per its Schwab Crypto page. A $1,000 purchase costs $7.50 in fees.
Can I move bitcoin from Schwab to my own wallet?
Transfers in and out are rolling out in phases as of October 2026. First, clients need identity checks and a passkey, and new withdrawal addresses face at least a 24-hour wait, per CoinScreamer’s review of the FAQs.
Will Schwab add Solana and other altcoins?
The firm plans to add Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink by the end of 2026, after first announcing them on Aug. 27, 2026. So far, it has not set an exact launch date.
Is crypto at Schwab protected by SIPC or FDIC?
No. FDIC insurance and SIPC protection do not apply to coin holdings, although the firm says its Security Guarantee covers them.
Not financial advice. Crypto is volatile; do your own research (DYOR) before buying or selling any asset.
Sources
- The Defiant: Schwab Completes Retail Bitcoin and Ether Rollout, Begins Crypto Transfers
- Charles Schwab on X, Oct. 16, 2026
- Charles Schwab: Q3 2026 earnings release
- Charles Schwab: Plans to expand digital assets in Schwab Crypto (Aug. 27, 2026)
- Schwab Crypto product page
- CoinScreamer: Charles Schwab Completes Bitcoin and Ether Rollout
