$10T Giant Eyes Crypto Expansion

Schwab Sets 2027 Target for Advisor Crypto Services

Charles Schwab is planning to give financial advisors access to spot cryptocurrency trading, asset transfers, and custody services by mid-2027, marking a significant step in the firm's push into digital assets. Schwab will offer spot trading for cryptocurrencies and allow clients to transfer and custody crypto assets by mid-2027, according to Jalina Kerr, Schwab's head of advisor experience and platform solutions. "Interest is growing significantly," she noted, though acknowledged "it's a difficult build."

The company reported $11.77 trillion in client assets and 39.1 million active brokerage accounts at the end of March, making its institutional advisory channel one of the largest potential distribution pipelines for digital assets in the United States.

Building on a Retail Launch Already Underway

The advisor-focused rollout follows Schwab's broader move into crypto. Charles Schwab recently announced Schwab Crypto, a spot crypto trading offer that began a phased rollout to retail clients. The platform provides direct access to trading in bitcoin and ethereum, while integrating with Schwab's broader ecosystem of investment, trading, banking, and advisory services.

Schwab clients maintain a separate crypto account linked directly to their brokerage accounts, with Charles Schwab Premier Bank serving as custodian of digital assets. Paxos, a leading OCC-regulated blockchain infrastructure provider, delivers sub-custody and trade execution services.

Over time, Schwab plans to add additional cryptocurrencies to the platform, as well as transfer capabilities for both deposits and withdrawals, allowing clients with existing digital asset investments to bring them to Schwab. Schwab is already a leader in digital assets, with clients holding approximately 20% of spot crypto exchange-traded products.

The move places Schwab among a growing list of traditional financial firms expanding into digital assets after years of cautious engagement with the sector. Extending that reach to registered investment advisors (RIAs) in 2027 would open institutional advisory channels to crypto in a meaningful way, connecting digital assets to a client base that collectively manages trillions in wealth.

Sources
Family Wealth Report: Schwab's Midyear Priorities, Including Crypto Custody by Mid-2027
Business Wire: Charles Schwab Announces Details of Spot Crypto Trading Launch
Bitcoin Magazine: Charles Schwab Launches Spot Bitcoin Trading Platform