Schwab Expands Crypto Offerings with Phased Rollout

Charles Schwab has begun rolling out spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading to its retail clients, marking a significant step into the cryptocurrency market. The firm's phased launch allows it to manage operational risk and monitor compliance workflows before expanding access to all clients.

The decision to limit the initial launch to these two assets reflects a conservative approach, as they carry the deepest liquidity and most established regulatory track records among cryptocurrencies.

This move is seen as a normalization of cryptocurrency as a standard portfolio component for retail investors. The expansion beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum will depend on both internal operational readiness and the evolving U.S. regulatory landscape for digital assets.