Charles Schwab Latest ETF Heavyweight To Propose Crypto Fund

Index-tracking fund would invest primarily in the stocks of companies involved in the space

March 2, 2022 05:14 pm

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The filing by Charles Schwab’s asset management arm follows similar proposals by competitors BlackRock and Fidelity Investments
Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger called cryptocurrencies “hard to ignore” in January

Charles Schwab’s asset management arm is looking to join the crypto ETF fray, following industry heavyweights like BlackRock and Fidelity Investments.

The fund group filed to launch an index-tracking ETF offering exposure to companies involved with digital assets, as well as business activities connected to blockchain technology, according to a Wednesday regulatory disclosure.

The proposed Schwab Crypto Economy ETF plans to invest at least 80% of net assets in stocks included in the Schwab Crypto Economy Index. The filing did not list a ticker or expense ratio.

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The fund would not invest in digital assets directly.

A spokesperson for the company did not immediately return a request for comment.

Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger told Bloomberg in January cryptocurrencies are “hard to ignore” and “fairly significant.”

A Schwab spokesperson told Blockworks that month the company offers third-party mutual funds and ETFs with crypto ties through its brokerage platform and was “evaluating how and when we could offer our clients additional opportunities for exposure to cryptocurrencies.”

The Schwab filing follows BlackRock’s, the world’s largest asset manager, filing to launch an ETF focused on blockchain technology in January. Fidelity Investments revealed plans a week later to bring to market ETFs that would invest in companies involved in the metaverse and crypto more broadly.

The bank’s asset management arm oversaw roughly $380 billion of assets within index mutual funds and ETFs, as of Sept. 30, the most recent data available.

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