<div id="readability-page-1"><div>Charles Schwab has opened a waitlist for &#34;Schwab Crypto,&#34; a new account that will let clients buy and sell bitcoin and ether directly. A spokesperson told CoinDesk on Friday that the firm remains on track for a first-half 2026 launch.The firm's crypto page now features a &#34;Schwab Crypto™ is coming soon&#34; banner, inviting users to sign up for updates and early access to what it describes as &#34;your new gateway to buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum cryptocurrencies.&#34; The account will be offered by Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, not through standard brokerage accounts, though applicants will need an existing Schwab brokerage account to qualify.CEO Rick Wurster told Barron's in early March that the offering would start with a limited Q2 rollout, with broader expansion to follow. The plan is to test internally with employees first, then open to a select group of clients before wider availability.Fine print on Schwab's site spells out key limitations. Schwab Crypto accounts will be available in all U.S. states except New York and Louisiana, and will not be offered in U.S. territories or international jurisdictions. Not all clients will qualify, and accounts may be restricted or closed if a client moves to an unsupported jurisdiction.Cryptocurrencies held through Premier Bank &#34;are not securities, are not protected by the SIPC, are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits; and may lose value,&#34; per the disclosures.Notably, Schwab also says it does not currently accept cryptocurrency deposits or disburse crypto for settlement. That means clients won't be able to transfer existing holdings from external wallets or exchanges at launch, despite Wurster telling CNBC in July that clients keeping crypto at firms like Coinbase &#34;really want to bring it back to Schwab.&#34;The move caps a long arc. In 2019, the firm dismissed crypto as &#34;purely speculative.&#34; By 2021, it was exploring white-label crypto brokerage solutions. In 2023, it helped back EDX Markets. By July 2025, Wurster said Schwab clients hold more than 20% of all crypto ETPs industry-wide and that the firm is &#34;absolutely&#34; looking to compete with Coinbase.Schwab's scale gives the launch unusual weight. As of February, the firm had $12.22 trillion in client assets, 38.9 million active brokerage accounts, and record daily average trades of 9.9 million.Schwab is not alone. Morgan Stanley is preparing to offer spot bitcoin, ether, and solana trading through E*Trade via a partner model with Zerohash, and has filed for its own national trust bank charter. Separately, EDX Markets, which Schwab backs alongside Citadel and Fidelity, applied this week for an OCC national bank charter.Wurster has also flagged interest in stablecoins, saying they are &#34;likely to play a role in transacting on blockchains.&#34; Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.© 2026 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. </div></div>

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Charles Schwab has launched a waitlist for "Schwab Crypto," allowing clients to trade bitcoin and ether directly, with a limited rollout planned for Q2 2026. The service will be available through Schwab Premier Bank, requiring an existing brokerage account. Notably, accounts will not be available in New York and Louisiana, and clients cannot transfer existing crypto holdings at launch. This move marks a significant shift for Schwab, which previously dismissed crypto as speculative. The firm currently manages $12.22 trillion in client assets and aims to compete with platforms like Coinbase.

- Charles Schwab has launched a waitlist for "Schwab Crypto," enabling clients to buy and sell bitcoin and ether directly, with plans for a first-half 2026 launch.  
- The offering will be available through Charles Schwab Premier Bank, requiring clients to have an existing Schwab brokerage account, and will exclude New York and Louisiana residents.  
- The firm aims to test the service internally before a wider rollout, amidst a backdrop of increasing institutional involvement in the crypto space.

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Charles Schwab opens waitlist for direct bitcoin and ether trading, targeting Q2 limited launch