US-based financial company Charles Schwab plans to offer spot cryptocurrency trading in 2026 on its custody platform serving registered investment advisors. This step of the company stands out as a more direct infrastructure move that expands access to digital assets beyond exchange-traded funds.
Direct transaction infrastructure is being prepared for consultants
According to the news, the new feature will allow investment advisors to carry out cryptocurrency transactions within the same system without using separate accounts, different custody institutions or external platforms. Thus, it is aimed to streamline compliance processes, reporting and asset services.
Charles Schwab is among the largest financial institutions in the United States, providing brokerage, custody and asset management services to individual and institutional investors. Although the company has not yet announced an exact start date, it is stated that it is accelerating its infrastructure work to establish a secure structure suitable for corporate use.
It was reported that the company plans to launch direct spot cryptocurrency transactions for registered investment advisors next year, and this is a remarkable development for one of the largest RIA custody platforms.
Currently, many advisors are turning to ETFs, trust structures or external accounts to provide clients with access to cryptocurrency. The direct transaction option that Schwab will integrate into the platform aims to gather this dispersed structure on a single screen.
It is aimed to reduce the operational load
The new system is expected to reduce advisors’ dependence on third-party cryptocurrency platforms. In this way, it is stated that simplification can be achieved in auditing, corporate reporting, internal control and daily operation processes. It is evaluated that this may also reduce end-user costs in the long term.
Mini dictionary: RIA, or registered investment advisor, is used for professional institutions or individuals in the United States who provide investment advice to clients for a fee and are subject to relevant regulatory rules. Custody platform refers to the infrastructure where customer assets are kept, reported and transaction processes managed.
It was noted that many experts in the market expect Bitcoin and Ethereum transactions to be offered in the first stage. The news also included Citi’s prediction that the tokenized securities market could increase from $17 billion to $5.5 trillion by 2030.
Asset base exceeding 5 trillion dollars draws attention
Charles Schwab oversees more than $5 trillion in assets on the advisory side, according to Nate Geraci, CEO of Novadius Wealth Management. Due to this scale, even limited cryptocurrency allocations by advisors in portfolios can create significant inflows into the digital asset market.
Nate Geraci emphasized that Schwab is preparing to offer direct spot cryptocurrency transactions for advisors next year, and that there are over $5 trillion in assets on the platform.
The news stated that the initiative in question was seen as an important threshold in terms of corporate adoption. It was stated that company managers had previously acted more cautiously due to regulatory uncertainties, but the strategy began to change with increasing customer demand.
It is reported that this development may strengthen the link between traditional wealth management and the digital asset market and increase the competitive pressure on rival large financial institutions.
