The Charles Schwab Corp
The Charles Schwab Corporation is a publicly traded bank holding company (NYSE: SCHW) that provides retail brokerage, banking, and wealth advisory services to 39.5 million active brokerage accounts, 16,000+ independent RIAs, and 5.8 million workplace plan participants, managing $13.14 trillion in client assets through schwab.com, mobile apps, thinkorswim, and 400+ U.S. branches.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersEl Paso, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Charles Schwab Corp does
The Charles Schwab Corporation is a publicly traded bank holding company (NYSE: SCHW), headquartered in Westlake, Texas, that provides a full spectrum of retail brokerage, banking, and wealth advisory services through its operating subsidiaries, primarily Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank, SSB. The company serves three primary segments: individual investors via schwab.com, mobile apps, and 400+ U.S. branches; more than 16,000 independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) through Schwab Advisor Services; and employers sponsoring 401(k) and retirement plans serving 5.8 million workplace plan participants. Its core platform integrates self-directed brokerage, automated advisory (Schwab Intelligent Portfolios), direct indexing (Schwab Personalized Indexing), proprietary ETFs and mutual funds, and donor-advised fund (DAFgiving360) services, with the thinkorswim platform acquired from TD Ameritrade providing professional-grade trading tools.
Schwab's technology stack spans Schwab.com, the Schwab Mobile App (ranked #1 by Corporate Insight in 2025), thinkorswim, and the Schwab Advisor Center, supported by 33,500 employees as of March 31, 2026 and digital accelerator hubs in San Francisco and Austin. The platform supports 24/7 trading on S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, and hundreds of ETFs, plus recently added cryptocurrency futures, and a 2026 AI-powered Portfolio Insights capability that synthesizes portfolio performance, market news, and proprietary Schwab Center for Financial Research commentary. Post-TD Ameritrade integration (completed 2024) and the March 2026 Forge Global acquisition (~$660M) have expanded the platform into private markets and pre-IPO shares.
Schwab monetizes through four revenue streams: Net Interest Income on client cash balances, margin lending, and investment of client assets (NIM expanded to 2.90% in Q4 2025); Asset Management and Advisory Fees on proprietary mutual funds, ETFs, and advisory services; Trading Revenue from commissions and related fees following the 2019 elimination of $0 U.S. equity and ETF commissions; and Other Revenue from banking, FX, and adjacent services. As of May 31, 2026, the company managed $13.14 trillion in client assets across 39.5 million active brokerage accounts, with $1.48 trillion in proprietary funds and ETFs, and delivered FY2025 net revenue of $23.9 billion (up 22% YoY) and GAAP net income of $8.9 billion (up 51% YoY).
The Charles Schwab Corp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Charles Schwab Corp
- Legal name
- The Charles Schwab Corporation
- Website
- https://aboutschwab.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The Charles Schwab Corporation is a publicly traded bank holding company (NYSE: SCHW) that provides retail brokerage, banking, and wealth advisory services to 39.5 million active brokerage accounts, 16,000+ independent RIAs, and 5.8 million workplace plan participants, managing $13.14 trillion in client assets through schwab.com, mobile apps, thinkorswim, and 400+ U.S. branches.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Charles Schwab Corp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retail Brokerage and Wealth Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Investment Advice (6282), Savings Institutions, Not Federally Chartered (6036), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Retail Brokerage & Wealth Platforms (FSAAAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD), Affluent / Mass-Affluent Private Banking (FSABADAC), Bank-Affiliated Retail Wealth Management (FSAAAAAB)
Keywords
Where The Charles Schwab Corp is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- El Paso
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
The Charles Schwab Corp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Net Interest Income: Interest earned on client cash balances held in Schwab's banking subsidiary, margin lending, and investment of client assets. Expanded Net Interest Margin to 2.90% in Q4 2025 due to normalized interest rate environment
- Asset Management and Advisory Fees: Fees from proprietary mutual funds, ETFs, and advisory services including Schwab Intelligent Portfolios and managed account solutions
- Trading Revenue: Commissions and transaction fees from equity, option, and other securities trading. While Schwab eliminated $0 commissions, other fees and services generate trading-related revenue
- Other Revenue: Includes bank deposit account fees, foreign exchange revenue, and other financial service-related income streams
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Online Stock, ETF, and Options Trades |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Annual | Index ETFs |
| Subscription | Annual | No-Fee IRA Accounts |
| Subscription | Monthly | Account Service Fees |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Charles Schwab Corp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Schwab operates as a retail brokerage, banking, and financial advisory firm offering self-directed and assisted investing through digital platforms (schwab.com, mobile apps, thinkorswim), 400+ physical branches, automated advisory services, ETF and mutual fund products, and workplace retirement plan administration. The firm serves 39.5 million active brokerage accounts and holds $13.14 trillion in client assets, generating revenue from net interest income, asset management and advisory fees, and trading-related revenue.
Product overview
Charles Schwab offers a unified multi-channel wealth management platform serving individual investors, independent registered investment advisors (RIAs), and employers. The core offering centers on Schwab.com (web platform) and the Schwab Mobile App (#1 mobile app), complemented by the thinkorswim trading platform for active traders. Advisory services include Schwab Intelligent Portfolios (robo-advisory) and Schwab Advisor Center for RIAs (serving 16,000+ advisors). Banking products are provided through Charles Schwab Bank, while investment products include Schwab ETFs (available commission-free via Schwab ETF OneSource) and direct indexing through Schwab Personalized Indexing. The 2026 product portfolio now includes the acquired Forge Global private markets platform and the new Schwab Teen Investor account for Gen Alpha investors. All services are supported by 24/7 trading capabilities, AI-powered portfolio insights, and DAFgiving360 donor-advised funds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Schwab Advisor Services: Services for independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) including custodial, trading, and business consulting services
- Schwab Asset Management
- Schwab Center for Financial Research
- thinkorswim
- DAFgiving360
Products and services
- Schwab.com Brokerage Platform Primary web-based brokerage and investing platform offering self-directed trading, account management, research tools, and educational resources for individual investors.
- Schwab Mobile App Mobile application enabling investors to manage accounts, trade, deposit checks, and access research on-the-go; ranks #1 in retail investor mobile experience per Corporate Insight 2025.
- thinkorswim Trading Platform Advanced professional-grade trading platform featuring charting, technical analysis, options trading, and 24/7 cryptocurrency futures trading for active traders.
- Schwab Intelligent Portfolios
- Schwab Advisor Center
- Charles Schwab Bank, SSB
- Schwab ETFs
- DAFgiving360
- Schwab Personalized Indexing
- Schwab Teen Investor Account Joint brokerage platform for teens aged 13-17 offering fractional shares and educational content with parental oversight.
- StreetSmart Pro/Edge
- Forge Global Private Markets Private marketplace platform integrated through acquisition, providing access to private securities, pre-IPO shares, and private market investments for individual investors and advisors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Total client assets reached $13.14 trillion as of May 31, 2026, up 27% year-over-year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Charles Schwab Corp
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Charles Schwab Corp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
The Charles Schwab Corp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Forge Global Holdings Inc.coreSchwab completed acquisition of Forge Global Holdings at $45 per share (approximately $660 million). The transaction combines a leader in public markets with a leading private marketplace platform, enabling Schwab to offer both public and private market investments to individual investors and Registered Investment Advisors. Forge will continue operating independently while integration work is underway, with Schwab planning to gradually introduce Forge's products to its broader client base of 39 million active brokerage accounts.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Charles Schwab Corp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fidelity Investments: Fidelity is the most direct peer to Schwab, competing across retail brokerage, IRAs, ETFs, RIA custody, workplace retirement plans, and integrated banking. It operates a comparable hybrid digital-and-physical platform with proprietary mutual funds and serves as the principal alternative for self-directed investors and advisors.
- Raymond James Financial: Raymond James offers retail brokerage, RIA custody, investment banking, and wealth management through both employee advisors and independent contractor channels. Competes directly for retail brokerage clients, advisor custody relationships, and workplace retirement plan business.
- LPL Financial: LPL is the largest independent broker-dealer and RIA custodian in the U.S., competing directly with Schwab Advisor Services for custody and compliance services to independent advisors. Significant overlap in technology platforms, advisory solutions, and retirement plan services.
- Interactive Brokers: Interactive Brokers is a direct competitor for active traders, RIAs, and global investors who value advanced trading infrastructure. thinkorswim, StreetSmart Pro/Edge, and Schwab Trader compete head-to-head with IBKR's Trader Workstation on pricing, product range, and professional tooling.
- Ameriprise Financial: Ameriprise offers full-service brokerage, wealth management, asset management, and retirement solutions through its advisor channel. Competes with Schwab's wealth advisory services for mass-affluent and HNW clients, with overlapping product suites.
- Morgan Stanley Wealth Management: Morgan Stanley acquired E*TRADE and operates a major brokerage, RIA custody, and workplace retirement platform that competes for the same retail and advisor segments as Schwab. Strong overlap in self-directed trading, advisor custody, and bank-brokerage integration, particularly after the E*TRADE acquisition.
- Vanguard: Vanguard competes most directly with Schwab on low-cost retail brokerage, proprietary ETFs/mutual funds, retirement accounts, and direct indexing-style offerings. Both are mutual structure competitors in the mass-affluent wealth management space and share the low-cost investor value proposition.
- Merrill Lynch (Bank of America): Merrill is a core competitor in mass-affluent and retail wealth management, integrated with Bank of America's deposit and lending capabilities. The integrated bank-brokerage model and dedicated advisor channel overlap directly with Schwab's wealth advisory and Bank SSB offering.
Emerging players
- Robinhood Markets: Robinhood pioneered zero-commission retail trading and competes aggressively for younger, self-directed investors. While its product suite and customer base are narrower than Schwab, it pressures fees in retail brokerage and targets the Gen Z/Millennial segments Schwab is now attempting to capture via the Teen Investor Account.
Broad incumbents
- JPMorgan Chase (J.P. Morgan Wealth Management): J.P. Morgan Chase's wealth management division competes with Schwab across retail brokerage, advisor services, private banking, and workplace retirement. As a broader incumbent with deeper advisory and capital markets capabilities, it competes for the upper-mass-affluent and HNW segments where Schwab is pushing via Schwab Wealth Advisory and Family Wealth Alliance.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Charles Schwab Corp social profiles
Digital presenceThe Charles Schwab Corp compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Charles Schwab Corp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Charles Schwab Corp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
The Charles Schwab Corp subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
The Charles Schwab Corp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Charles Schwab Corp M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Charles Schwab Corp
What does The Charles Schwab Corp do?
Schwab operates as a retail brokerage, banking, and financial advisory firm offering self-directed and assisted investing through digital platforms (schwab.com, mobile apps, thinkorswim), 400+ physical branches, automated advisory services, ETF and mutual fund products, and workplace retirement plan administration. The firm serves 39.5 million active brokerage accounts and holds $13.14 trillion in client assets, generating revenue from net interest income, asset management and advisory fees, and trading-related revenue.
Is The Charles Schwab Corp a public or private company?
The Charles Schwab Corp is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was The Charles Schwab Corp founded?
The Charles Schwab Corp was founded in 1971. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is The Charles Schwab Corp based?
The Charles Schwab Corp is headquartered in El Paso, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Charles Schwab Corp make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Net Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are asset Management and Advisory Fees, trading Revenue and other Revenue.
Who are The Charles Schwab Corp's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fidelity Investments, Raymond James Financial, LPL Financial, Interactive Brokers, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Vanguard and Merrill Lynch (Bank of America). Robinhood Markets is listed as an emerging player. JPMorgan Chase (J.P. Morgan Wealth Management) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Charles Schwab Corp have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Charles Schwab Corp.
What industry is The Charles Schwab Corp in?
The Charles Schwab Corp's product category is Retail Brokerage and Wealth Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAAAA, Full-Service Retail Brokerage & Wealth Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAAABAD, Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6211.