Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Schwab to Bring Crypto Trading to Its Brokerage Platform
Crypto | July 22, 2025
Image: Youtube Short - Charles Schwab CEO Rick Wurster interview CNBC Television
Charles Schwab Confirms It Will Let Users Trade Bitcoin and Ethereum Directly
On July 18, 2025, Charles Schwab CEO Rick Wurster confirmed in an interview with CNBC Television that Schwab will soon let users buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum directly in its brokerage accounts, with the trading option to launch within the next 12 months. The change means Schwab clients will be able to hold crypto alongside their stocks, ETFs, and bonds without having to rely on a separate platform.
See: Coinbase Buys Deribit for $2.9B to Lead Crypto Derivatives
Schwab already offers clients access to crypto ETFs, and it currently manages more than 20% of the U.S. crypto ETP market. But Wurster says clients have been asking for more, expressing interest to hold actual Bitcoin or Ether at Schwab. This means that Schwab will soon be directly competing with Coinbase and other crypto exchanges.
In an interview with CoinDesk, Wurster said clients say:
"I’ve got 98% of my assets sitting at Schwab. I can’t wait until you have bitcoin or [Ether] because I want them sitting alongside my other assets.”
Clients Want Simpler Access
According to Cointelegraph,crypto interest on Schwab's platform jumped more than 400%, and the new offering is a direct response to what clients are asking for.
See: Grayscale ETF Wins SEC Approval for 5 Crypto Assets
The company also plans to launch a Schwab-branded stablecoin at some point in the future, although it hasn’t said how or when that might happen.
This retail launch is separate from Schwab’s earlier involvement in building EDX Markets, a crypto exchange created for institutions and broker-dealers. That platform is still active, but this new offering will be aimed at regular investors using Schwab’s main trading platform.
Why This Matters for Canada
Schwab’s plan to bring crypto inside the brokerage account highlights a growing difference between the U.S. and Canada. U.S. companies like Schwab, Fidelity, and BlackRock are building full-service crypto options under existing financial rules. But in Canada, crypto trading is still kept separate from brokerage services.
Wealthsimple and a few other Canadian platforms do offer crypto trading, but none of the big Canadian banks or traditional discount brokerages offer integrated crypto and stock/ETF accounts yet. That means Canadian investors still have to open multiple accounts, transfer funds between platforms, and manage different levels of regulation and risk.
See: Quantum Safe Stablecoins Meet Real Time Finance Needs
Canada was early to approve crypto ETFs, but it has not moved forward on allowing spot crypto trading in mainstream financial accounts. Schwab’s move shows how U.S. rules are creating new opportunities that Canadian investors and fintechs are missing. Unless Canada modernizes its approach, it risks falling further behind in investor access, innovation, and market competitiveness.
Outlook
Schwab manages over $8 trillion in assets and serves more than 35 million investors. Once the retail services is switched on, Charles Schwab will instantly become one of the largest retail crypto access points in America.
It adds pressure on Canadian regulators and financial firms to review their approach. Canadian fintechs could lose users and assets to U.S. competitors that offer a more complete experience. For investors who want all their assets in one place, Schwab’s upcoming crypto service will make that possible. That could raise expectations on this side of the border too.
See: OSFI Drafting New Framework to Regulate Stablecoin Issuers
For Canada to be competitive, they will need to push for better policy alignment and faster integration of crypto into traditional finance, and ideally offer services that add value beyond what the big U.S. platforms offer.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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