Charles Schwab is aiming to bring crypto spot trading to the financial advisors who already use its massive custody platform, but it is doing so slowly and carefully. The firm, which custodizes around 10 trillion dollars in client assets, is targeting a mid-2027 launch of spot trading, transfers, and custody services for advisors.
Schwab Sets Mid-2027 Target For Advisor Crypto
According to Jalina Kerr, managing director at Schwab Advisor Services and head of advisor experience, the rollout is “on track for next year, probably more like the middle of the year.” She added that Schwab does not yet have exact dates, and she warned that the timing could change as the company works through regulatory, risk, and technology questions.
The new offering will live inside Schwab’s existing advisor custody platform, which thousands of registered investment advisors already use for stocks, bonds, and funds. Once live, it will let advisors place crypto spot trades, move digital assets, and custody them within the same workflows they use for traditional portfolios.
Kerr said progress so far is “smooth,” but she stressed that digital assets are not uniformly regulated across products, so Schwab needs to think carefully “from deposit to withdrawal.” Because of that, she framed the 2027 launch as a target that depends on market conditions and regulatory clarity rather than as a fixed deadline.
Advisors Prepare For Direct Crypto Access
So far, many Schwab advisors have used exchange-traded products (ETPs) to give clients exposure without holding coins directly. However, Kerr said interest in true spot trading has “recently increased” as more clients ask for direct ownership of assets like Bitcoin and ether.
Earlier this year, Schwab began rolling out spot Bitcoin and Ether trading for retail brokerage customers through a separate service, which it calls a first step in a broader crypto buildout. The advisor-focused plan builds on that strategy by bringing spot crypto access to professionals who manage client money under fiduciary duties.
Kerr noted that advisors want to keep as many assets as possible inside Schwab’s ecosystem rather than sending clients to outside exchanges. With the new tools, they would be able to see crypto balances, place trades, and track positions alongside the rest of a client’s holdings, with Schwab’s systems handling custody and reporting.
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