Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab Plan Crypto Trading by 2026, 12 Months

Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab, two of the most established financial firms on Wall Street, are reportedly preparing to offer access to crypto trading. Morgan Stanley plans to roll out spot crypto trading on its E*Trade platform by 2026, exploring partnerships with crypto-native companies to support this integration. This move will expand access to a broader base of retail investors, as the firm already offers crypto ETF exposure to its high-net-worth clients.

Charles Schwab is also positioning itself for a crypto entry. This aligns with the firm’s CEO, Rick Wurster’s, recent statement during its earnings call, which suggested that the financial powerhouse is working toward enabling direct spot crypto trading for its users. Wurster expressed confidence in the firm's ability to launch direct spot crypto trading within the next 12 months, citing the changing regulatory environment as a key factor.

The timing of these announcements coincides with a broader regulatory shift in the United States. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, federal agencies have taken significant steps to lift restrictions on banks interacting with digital assets. In January, the US Securities and Exchange Commission repealed Staff Accounting Bulletin 121, which had discouraged banks from holding digital assets on their balance sheets. The US Federal Reserve soon relaxed its rules on crypto partnerships for banks, removing the requirement for prior approval. Additionally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) have issued similar guidance, granting banks more freedom to operate in the crypto space.

These regulatory developments are already influencing behavior across the financial sector. Several crypto-native firms have begun efforts to secure banking licenses, while traditional institutions are actively seeking ways to remain competitive in a rapidly changing landscape. The easing of regulations has created an environment where established financial firms can explore crypto trading more freely, potentially leading to increased adoption and integration of digital assets into mainstream financial services.