Charles Schwab to Launch Cryptocurrency Trading by Early 2026, Potentially Pressuring Existing Exchanges

On the 3rd, Charles Schwab, a major US asset management and brokerage firm, announced plans to launch spot trading services for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in the first half of 2026. The announcement was made by CEO Rick Wurster at the Reuters Next conference held in New York. The company will initially conduct tests with its employees, followed by a phased expansion of the service to a limited group of customers. Charles Schwab is a leading asset management and brokerage firm in the US, managing approximately $12 trillion (about 1,800 trillion yen) in customer assets and holding over 36.5 million active brokerage accounts.