Charles Schwab switched on 24/7 futures trading for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Ripple this week. The move makes Schwab one of the first major traditional brokerages to offer continuous crypto derivatives trading — no exchange hours, no weekends off. On top of that, the firm told clients it intends to introduce spot cryptocurrency trading for financial advisors sometime in the next year.
What's trading now
As of June 3, Schwab customers can trade futures contracts on four digital assets at any hour of the day or night. The list covers the two biggest tokens by market cap — Bitcoin and Ethereum — plus Solana and Ripple (XRP). The contracts are cash-settled, meaning traders never actually hold the underlying coins. That matters for a firm that has been cautious about direct crypto custody.
The 24/7 schedule is the headline. Crypto never sleeps, and most existing futures markets — even from big players like the CME — still take a break on weekends. Schwab's system doesn't. That could draw retail traders who want to react to weekend news or price swings without waiting for Monday morning.
Spot crypto for advisors — on the way
Schwab also confirmed it's planning to launch spot cryptocurrency trading for financial advisors on its platform. The rollout is expected within the next year. That would let advisors buy and sell actual Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Ripple directly for client accounts, rather than just offering futures or ETFs.
It's a logical next step. Schwab already offers crypto-linked ETFs and now 24/7 futures. Adding spot trading closes the loop for advisors who want a simpler, direct exposure. The timing makes sense: more advisors have been asking for it as client demand for crypto allocations keeps climbing.
Why this doesn't look like a typical brokerage rollout
The 24/7 futures launch went live without a long pilot or a phased regional release. Schwab just turned it on. That's unusual for a firm known for cautious, tested rollouts. It suggests the infrastructure — likely powered by a third-party clearing partner — was ready faster than expected.
The spot trading plan, though, has a longer horizon. A year gives Schwab time to navigate custody, compliance, and insurance questions. Those issues are trickier for actual coins than for futures contracts. The firm didn't name its custody partner or clearinghouse for the spot product, but the futures side is already running on existing exchange-linked systems.
Schwab's move puts pressure on rivals like Fidelity and Vanguard. Fidelity already has spot Bitcoin trading for some clients; Vanguard has stayed out. Schwab's entry — and its 24/7 twist — raises the bar for what counts as a baseline crypto offering at a major brokerage.
