Charles Schwab Targets Mid-2027 for Advisor Crypto Trading

Charles Schwab is preparing to bring spot cryptocurrency trading and custody directly to its massive network of registered investment advisors (RIAs). The $10 trillion asset management giant is targeting a mid-2027 launch, according to internal plans disclosed by Jalina Kerr, managing director at Schwab Advisor Services.

The timeline, first reported by Wu Blockchain, remains flexible. Once live, the service will allow wealth managers to trade, custody, and transfer digital assets – specifically Bitcoin and Ether – directly through Schwab's primary custody platform. This marks a major shift from the current setup, where advisors must navigate third-party platforms or specialized crypto custodians to manage client allocations.

Integrating crypto custody into a legacy $10 trillion infrastructure is a regulatory and technical challenge. Schwab already offers retail clients access to spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, but direct spot trading for institutional and advisory clients requires robust clearing mechanisms and ironclad security. Wealth managers have long clamored for a unified dashboard where crypto sits alongside traditional equities and bonds. Schwab's move aims to solve this fragmentation.

The firm's slow-and-steady approach contrasts with crypto-native platforms, but its sheer scale makes it a potential kingmaker. If the mid-2027 target holds, it could unlock a massive wave of capital from conservative wealth managers who have stayed on the sidelines due to compliance hurdles. This is about institutional distribution, not retail hype.

For now, the market will watch for regulatory filings or pilot program announcements from Schwab. Any acceleration in the timeline – or conversely, delays driven by shifting SEC guidance – will serve as a key indicator of how quickly Wall Street's largest gatekeepers are willing to embrace direct digital asset ownership.