Charles Schwab Corp is set to make a foray into the spot Bitcoin trading sector, with CEO Rick Wurster suggesting a possible launch timeframe around April 2026.
In an interview with RIABiz, Wurster pointed to a significant 400% increase in visits to Schwab’s cryptocurrency-related web pages as compelling evidence of growing investor interest in digital assets.
“We are optimistic that the evolving regulatory environment will allow us to offer direct spot crypto trading,” he stated. “Our objective is to achieve this within the next year, and we are making excellent progress.”
New Schwab CEO Signals Strong Commitment to Expanding Crypto Services
Since assuming the role of CEO in 2025, Wurster has shown a steadfast commitment to expanding Schwab’s portfolio of digital asset services.
In a November 2024 conversation with Yahoo Finance, he expressed the firm’s enthusiasm to provide direct cryptocurrency services but acknowledged the need for clearer regulatory guidance prior to action.
Following the re-election of Donald Trump in late 2024, Wurster shared a hopeful outlook that the new administration would cultivate a more favorable regulatory atmosphere for digital assets.
This regulatory shift could pave the way for Schwab to launch the long-anticipated direct trading services that many clients have requested.
In January 2025, Schwab further solidified its commitment to cryptocurrency by teaming up with Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) to initiate “Truth.Fi,” a platform designed to integrate traditional financial services with cryptocurrency offerings.
Charles Schwab CEO: “I have not bought crypto, and now I feel silly.”
“We will get into spot crypto”
Schwab managers +$9 TRILLION pic.twitter.com/S8nXV6Ft0d
— Bitcoin Archive (@BTC_Archive) November 21, 2024
This initiative is aimed at providing an alternative to conventional banking systems, catering to users who are wary of financial censorship and concerned about data privacy.
TMTG CEO and White House advisor Devin Nunes characterized Truth.Fi as a solution for Americans who fear “debanking, censorship, and violations of privacy” by mainstream technology and financial institutions.
Despite admitting that he does not personally own any cryptocurrency—stating he feels “silly” for not investing sooner—Wurster’s leadership indicates Schwab’s ambition to expand its footprint in the rapidly evolving digital finance sector.
Public Companies Boost Bitcoin Holdings by 16% in Q1 2025
In a sign of ongoing institutional interest in Bitcoin, publicly traded companies increased their holdings of the cryptocurrency by 16.1% during the first quarter of 2025.
According to data from crypto asset manager Bitwise, total corporate Bitcoin holdings rose to around 688,000 BTC by the quarter’s end, with companies accumulating an additional 95,431 BTC in just three months.
Bitwise calculated that these combined holdings had a total value of $56.7 billion based on a closing price of $82,445 per Bitcoin, marking a slight increase of 2.2% in value.
The number of public companies that include Bitcoin on their balance sheets also increased, from 67 to 79, with 12 firms making their initial Bitcoin acquisitions during this period.
Moreover, interest in Bitcoin is gaining momentum across various U.S. states, with 47 Bitcoin reserve bills introduced in 26 states, 41 of which are currently active.
Recently, Arizona’s Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Bill (SB 1373) successfully passed the House Committee of the Whole and is now awaiting a final vote before it is sent to Governor Katie Hobbs for approval.
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