Charles Schwab is targeting a mid-2027 rollout of crypto spot trading, transfer, and custody capabilities for advisors on its custody platform, extending its digital-asset strategy beyond retail brokerage clients and further into the registered investment advisor channel.
Schwab Targets Advisor Crypto Trading by 2027
Charles Schwab is preparing to bring direct crypto functionality to advisors, with Jalina Kerr, Managing Director at Schwab Advisor Services, telling a virtual media roundtable cited by Citywire that the firm is “on track” for next year and “probably more like the middle of the year.” The planned rollout would cover spot trading, transfers, and custody for advisors using Schwab’s platform, though Schwab has not announced an exact launch date.
The advisor plan follows Schwab’s April 16, 2026 announcement of Schwab Crypto, a phased retail offering for direct Bitcoin and Ethereum trading. On May 13, an initial group of U.S. retail clients had begun trading BTC and ETH through the Schwab Crypto platform. Schwab’s retail product currently supports side-by-side viewing and trading across Schwab.com, Schwab Mobile, and thinkorswim, with a 75 basis point fee on the dollar value of each crypto trade.
Schwab has been careful to frame retail crypto as a distinct product with distinct risks. Its disclosures state that crypto products are “not FDIC insured, not SIPC protected, not deposits, and may lose value.” The retail crypto account is offered by Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, which serves as custodian, while Paxos provides sub-custody and trade execution services; Schwab has not said whether the same structure, asset list, fee schedule, transfer rules, or jurisdictional availability would apply to the planned advisor rollout.
RIA Custody Push Could Challenge Fidelity
The advisor initiative is significant because Schwab Advisor Services is one of the largest custody platforms serving independent RIAs. Schwab reported $12.61 trillion in total client assets as of April 30, 2026, along with 39.3 million active brokerage accounts, while its Advisor Services business had roughly $5.31 trillion in client assets at April month-end. Kerr’s Schwab bio says the business serves more than 16,000 registered investment advisors, with her role focused on strategy, technology, wealth management solutions, and client experience.
The move could bring direct crypto ownership into the same operational environment where advisors already manage portfolios, reporting, and client relationships. Kerr said advisor demand has risen as clients who already hold crypto elsewhere increasingly want those assets included in the “total wealth conversation.” For many RIAs, that could mean a shift from offering crypto exposure primarily through exchange-traded products to managing spot digital assets directly, subject to each advisor’s eligibility, compliance framework, and client suitability standards.
Fidelity is the clearest competitive reference point. Fidelity already markets Fidelity Crypto for Wealth Managers, which offers advisor-managed direct exposure to spot Bitcoin and Ethereum through integrations between Fidelity Crypto accounts and the Wealthscape platform. Fidelity’s wealth manager materials also list digital asset custody and execution services, crypto transfers, and trading support for BTC, ETH, LTC, SOL, and FIDD, subject to eligibility.
Schwab’s planned advisor crypto rollout remains a target rather than a fully detailed product launch, but the direction is clear: the firm is moving direct digital asset trading and custody closer to mainstream wealth-management infrastructure. If delivered as planned, the offering would expand Schwab’s crypto strategy from retail trading into the RIA channel and put it in more direct competition with Fidelity’s advisor-facing digital asset services.
AI Transparency Note: This article was prepared with the assistance of an AI system based on the sources listed and was reviewed, edited, and approved by a human editor before publication. All quotes, data points, and factual claims are intended to be grounded in the cited source material; however, errors cannot be ruled out entirely.
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