Charles Schwab launches 24-hour BTC futures

TLDR

Charles Schwab now offers nearly 24/7 trading in bitcoin and other crypto futures on its thinkorswim platform, giving mainstream brokerage clients round-the-clock regulated crypto exposure.

1. Schwab has enabled almost around-the-clock futures trading for Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL) and Ripple (XRP) on thinkorswim, its first truly 24/7 product.
2. The contracts are cash settled and run through Schwabs regulated futures arm, extending crypto derivatives access to a client base managing over 12 trillion dollars in assets.
3. This is part of a broader push toward spot crypto trading and custody for advisors by 2027, while a wider shift to 24/7 regulated crypto derivatives is also underway at venues like CME.

Deep Dive

1. What Schwab Actually Launched

Charles Schwab has switched on nearly 24/7 trading for select cryptocurrency futures on its thinkorswim platforms, covering Bitcoin, Ether, Solana and Ripple futures that now trade almost continuously every day of the week on thinkorswim.

This is described as Schwabs first round the clock product, with access provided via Charles Schwab Futures and Forex, a registered futures commission merchant, rather than through spot coin custody on its futures unit.

The futures are cash settled, so clients gain price exposure without holding the underlying tokens, fitting into Schwabs existing derivatives and ETF infrastructure rather than creating a new on platform wallet system in its crypto futures update.

2. Why This Matters For Crypto Users

Schwab oversees about 12.6 trillion dollars in client assets and around 10.3 million daily average trades, so enabling almost continuous crypto futures trading brings BTC, ETH and others deeper into traditional brokerage workflows at scale across its client base.

For crypto, this expands the pool of regulated venues where institutions and active retail can hedge or express views on BTC and peers without using offshore derivatives platforms, similar to CMEs recent move to 24/7 crypto futures on Globex.

It also normalizes the idea that bitcoin trades continuously and that regulated derivatives infrastructure should match cryptos always open spot market, which can support more precise weekend and overnight risk management for portfolios holding BTC or spot ETFs.

3. What To Watch Next

Schwab has already rolled out Schwab Crypto, a retail spot service for BTC and ETH, and is preparing spot crypto trading and custody for financial advisors on its custody platform by around mid 2027, subject to timing changes in its advisor roadmap.

Regulators are simultaneously clarifying how 24/7 derivatives should operate, with the CFTC endorsing around the clock crypto markets while warning that thin off peak liquidity and manipulation risk must be managed on regulated venues in its 24/7 trading guidance.

For crypto users, key signals will be actual futures volumes on Schwab, how quickly advisors adopt future spot custody, and whether more large US brokers follow with similar 24/7 crypto access.

Conclusion

Schwabs near 24/7 bitcoin and crypto futures trading does not change BTCs fundamentals, but it meaningfully expands regulated access for mainstream investors and advisors. If paired with the planned advisor spot custody rollout, it could shift more crypto exposure onto traditional brokerage rails over the next few years, reducing reliance on offshore venues while keeping the usual futures leverage risks firmly in play.