Major Brokerages Expand Crypto Trading Amid Growing Demand
In 2026, leading financial institutions including Charles Schwab, Morgan Stanley, and Interactive Brokers introduced cryptocurrency trading through their established brokerage platforms. These services allow clients to access digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum without using specialized exchanges, with some offering exchange-traded products as an alternative to direct ownership. The move reflects a broader trend of integrating crypto into mainstream financial services.
In 2026, major U.S. financial institutions including Charles Schwab, Morgan Stanley, and Interactive Brokers launched cryptocurrency trading services through their existing brokerage platforms, marking a significant shift in how mainstream investors access digital assets. Schwab introduced its Schwab Crypto service in May 2026, enabling eligible American customers to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum directly, with plans to expand to Solana, Avalanche, and Chainlink by August. The firm charges a 0.75% transaction fee and offers education and customer support, though it excludes residents of New York and Louisiana and initially did not allow deposits or withdrawals. Morgan Stanley began piloting spot crypto trading via E*Trade in May 2026, targeting its 8.6 million clients with a reported fee of 0.50%, lower than Schwab’s rate. The bank also promotes exchange-traded products (ETPs) that offer exposure to digital assets without direct ownership or private key management. Interactive Brokers entered the space with competitive pricing—between 0.12% and 0.18% per trade, with a minimum charge—and relies on specialized partners like Paxos and Zero Hash for custody and execution. Meanwhile, SoFi partnered with Kraken’s parent company, Payward, in September 2026 to integrate Kraken’s liquidity into SoFi’s dollar settlement network and list SoFiUSD, a stablecoin backed by the U.S. dollar. This move reflects a broader trend of integrating crypto not just as a trading product but as part of pay
The integration of cryptocurrency into mainstream brokerage platforms could significantly reshape investor behavior, making digital assets more accessible to a broader demographic accustomed to traditional financial tools. By offering crypto trading within familiar interfaces—complete with educational resources, round-the-clock support, and portfolio management features—firms like Schwab and Morgan Stanley may lower the psychological and technical barriers that have historically deterred mainstream adoption. This could lead to increased capital inflows into digital assets, potentially stabilizing markets over time as institutional participation grows. However, the absence of deposit insurance for crypto holdings and persistent volatility mean that retail investors may face greater financial risk than with traditional securities, raising concerns about consumer protection and financial literacy. A comparable precedent is the 2010s rollout of online brokerage platforms like E*Trade and