Schwab researchers say Bitcoin fundamentals remain strong as Schwab Crypto rolls out
In brief
- Schwab analyst Adam Lynch made the bullish case for Bitcoin on October 15, 2026.
- Lynch cited nearly $60 billion in ETF inflows since early 2024.
- Bitcoin volatility is about 40, down from 50 to 60, said research head Jim Ferraioli.
- Schwab Crypto completed its full retail rollout around October 16, charging a 0.75% fee per trade.
What Schwab's researchers pointed to
Lynch's argument leaned on flows. He cited nearly $60 billion in ETF inflows since early 2024 as evidence that demand runs deeper than a passing trend, Crypto Briefing reported.
“ Bitcoin is strong. It’s powerful… still has strong fundamentals for the future,” Lynch said.
Jim Ferraioli, Schwab's Head of Crypto Research, added numbers of his own. He said Bitcoin's volatility now sits at about 40 (down from a previous range of 50 to 60), put its market cap at approximately $1.6 trillion and said tokenization of real-world assets has reached around $50 billion.
On regulation, the team cited progress in the US, including what it described as clarity on Bitcoin and Ether as digital commodities. That's the team's read on the policy backdrop, and it isn't a statement of settled law.
Schwab Crypto goes live for retail
The research landed alongside a product milestone. Schwab completed the full retail rollout of Schwab Crypto around October 16, 2026, according to Crypto Briefing, and eligible clients can now trade Bitcoin and Ether directly inside their Schwab accounts.
Each trade carries a 0.75% fee.
The service runs through Schwab's Premier Bank, with Paxos providing sub-custody support and handling execution. Schwab plans to add more tokens to the platform by the end of the year, the report said.
Why it matters for a $13 trillion firm
Scale is the story here. Schwab's clients already hold approximately 20% of the assets in spot crypto ETFs, within the firm's $13 trillion in managed assets, per Crypto Briefing.
CEO Rick Wurster has described crypto trading as a new source of revenue for the firm. So the bullish research comes from a company that's now also selling direct Bitcoin and Ether access to its own clients (readers can weigh that context for themselves).
Schwab's research doesn't argue for going all in, either. It suggests modest allocations to crypto within diversified portfolios.
Frequently asked questions
What did Charles Schwab's researchers say about Bitcoin?
Schwab's crypto research team said Bitcoin still has strong fundamentals for the future, according to Crypto Briefing. Analyst Adam Lynch cited nearly $60 billion in ETF inflows since early 2024, and research head Jim Ferraioli said volatility sits at about 40, down from 50 to 60.
How much does it cost to trade on Schwab Crypto?
Each Schwab Crypto trade carries a fee of 0.75%, according to Crypto Briefing. Eligible clients can trade Bitcoin and Ether directly inside their Schwab accounts, and Schwab plans to add more tokens by the end of the year.
Who handles custody and execution for Schwab Crypto?
The service runs through Schwab's Premier Bank, with Paxos providing sub-custody support and handling execution, according to Crypto Briefing's report on the retail rollout.
