Charles Schwab has initiated spot Bitcoin trading services for U.S. retail clients, allowing them to buy and sell Bitcoin directly within their brokerage accounts. This marks a shift from indirect exposure through ETFs and futures. The service, currently in phased rollout, requires users to open a separate cryptocurrency account linked to their existing brokerage account. Charles Schwab Premier Bank acts as the custodian, with Paxos handling trade execution. The trading fee is set at 75 basis points, and the service is available in most U.S. states, excluding New York and Louisiana. This development signifies Schwab's deeper integration of cryptocurrency trading into its core services, expanding from its previous offerings of Bitcoin ETFs and futures. As of March, Schwab managed $11.77 trillion in client assets with 39.1 million active accounts. The move reflects a broader trend among traditional financial institutions, like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, to enhance their digital asset services amid growing retail and institutional demand. Bitcoin traded near $80,000 during Tuesday's session.