WESTLAKE, Texas
—Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) unveiled robust figures for July 2026, showcasing a significant surge in client engagement and asset growth. The financial services giant reported a record-breaking July for core net new assets, which climbed an impressive 24% year-over-year to $58.1 billion. This metric, a key indicator of organic growth, highlights Schwab’s continued appeal to investors amidst a dynamic market landscape.
Total client assets reached a substantial $13.04 trillion by the end of July, marking a 19% increase from the previous year. While this represents a slight plateau compared to June 2026, the overall trajectory underscores the firm’s sustained ability to attract and retain significant client capital. The opening of new brokerage accounts also demonstrated healthy momentum, with 417,000 new accounts established during the month, an 11% uptick from July 2025.
Investor activity remained exceptionally strong. Daily average trades (DATs) surged to 11.6 million, reflecting heightened market participation. This robust trading volume is a testament to Schwab’s effective platform and its ability to cater to a wide spectrum of investor needs, from active traders to long-term investors. Furthermore, client margin loan balances experienced a significant increase of 51% from the end of the previous year, reaching $169.9 billion. This expansion in margin balances suggests growing investor confidence and a willingness to leverage capital for investment opportunities, a trend often associated with bullish market sentiment or increased active trading strategies.
The company also provided insights into its balance sheet dynamics. Transactional sweep cash declined by $8.9 billion to $476.8 billion. This decrease is attributed to client net purchasing activity, indicating that assets are moving from cash holdings into investments. Seasonality also played a role, with typical reductions related to advisory fee payments. This outflow from cash balances into the market is a positive sign for investment activity and potentially for broader market liquidity.
Strategic Implications and Market Context
Schwab’s latest performance report arrives at a critical juncture for the financial services industry. The sustained growth in client assets and new accounts suggests that Schwab is successfully navigating a competitive landscape, potentially benefiting from its scale, comprehensive service offerings, and technological investments. The surge in core net new assets, in particular, points to the effectiveness of its client acquisition and retention strategies.
The substantial increase in margin balances is noteworthy. While it can amplify both gains and losses, a rising trend typically signals increased investor conviction and engagement. This can also be an indicator of investor appetite for riskier assets or strategies, which in turn can benefit Schwab through increased trading commissions and interest income from margin loans. However, the increase in margin debt also warrants monitoring from a systemic risk perspective, as excessive leverage can exacerbate market downturns.
The decline in transactional sweep cash, while partly seasonal, aligns with the strong asset inflows and purchasing activity. This shift from cash to invested assets is a crucial driver for wealth management firms, as it translates into higher assets under management (AUM) and the associated revenue streams. The current environment, characterized by persistent market volatility and evolving investor preferences, demands adaptability. Schwab’s consistent performance suggests it is well-positioned to meet these demands, leveraging its integrated platform that combines brokerage, banking, and advisory services.
From a technological standpoint, Schwab’s ability to handle 11.6 million daily average trades indicates a robust and scalable infrastructure. In an era where digital client experience is paramount, the company’s investment in its trading platforms and digital tools is likely a key differentiator. The trend of increasing investor engagement and trading activity, particularly in derivatives (as suggested by the Schwab Trading Activity Index, STAX, which shows a significant increase in derivative trades as a percentage of total trades), signals a more sophisticated and active investor base, for whom Schwab’s advanced trading capabilities are a significant draw.
The figures also reflect the broader trends in the wealth management industry, including the continued popularity of ETFs and the ongoing consolidation of assets within major platforms. Schwab’s diversified revenue streams, from net interest income on sweep balances and margin loans to advisory fees and trading commissions, provide a resilient business model capable of weathering different market cycles.
About Charles Schwab
The Charles Schwab Corporation is a leading provider of financial services, serving 39.9 million active brokerage accounts, 5.9 million workplace plan participant accounts, and 2.4 million banking accounts, with $13.04 trillion in client assets as of July 31, 2026. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company offers a comprehensive suite of wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. Its offerings cater to both individual investors and independent investment advisors.
| The Charles Schwab Corporation Monthly Activity Report For July 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2025 |
2026 |
Change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Mo. | Yr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of Trading Days |
21.5 |
|
21.0 |
|
21.0 |
|
23.0 |
|
18.5 |
|
21.5 |
|
20.0 |
|
19.0 |
|
22.0 |
|
21.0 |
|
20.0 |
|
21.0 |
|
22.0 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Market Indices (at month end) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dow Jones Industrial Average® |
44,131 |
|
45,545 |
|
46,398 |
|
47,563 |
|
47,716 |
|
48,063 |
|
48,892 |
|
48,978 |
|
46,342 |
|
49,652 |
|
51,032 |
|
52,319 |
|
52,485 |
|
– |
|
19 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Nasdaq Composite® |
21,122 |
|
21,456 |
|
22,660 |
|
23,725 |
|
23,366 |
|
23,242 |
|
23,462 |
|
22,668 |
|
21,591 |
|
24,892 |
|
26,973 |
|
26,214 |
|
25,374 |
|
(3 |
%) |
20 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Standard & Poor’s® 500 |
6,339 |
|
6,460 |
|
6,688 |
|
6,840 |
|
6,849 |
|
6,846 |
|
6,939 |
|
6,879 |
|
6,529 |
|
7,209 |
|
7,580 |
|
7,499 |
|
7,490 |
|
– |
|
18 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Client Assets (in billions of dollars) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beginning Client Assets |
10,757.3 |
|
10,963.5 |
|
11,228.1 |
|
11,593.9 |
|
11,828.0 |
|
11,834.3 |
|
11,903.0 |
|
12,148.5 |
|
12,220.3 |
|
11,767.9 |
|
12,605.3 |
|
13,135.3 |
|
13,084.9 |
|
– |
|
19 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Net New Assets (1) |
45.7 |
|
43.3 |
|
45.4 |
|
41.6 |
|
38.7 |
|
77.9 |
|
27.6 |
|
32.5 |
|
79.8 |
|
6.7 |
|
49.9 |
|
62.1 |
|
58.1 |
|
60.1 |
|
(3 |
%) |
32 |
% |
||||||||||||||||
| Core Net New Assets (1,2) |
46.9 |
|
44.4 |
|
46.2 |
|
44.4 |
|
40.4 |
|
79.1 |
|
27.8 |
|
32.5 |
|
79.7 |
|
7.2 |
|
49.9 |
|
62.7 |
|
60.1 |
|
58.1 |
|
(7 |
%) |
24 |
% |
||||||||||||||||
| Net Market Gains (Losses) |
160.5 |
|
221.3 |
|
320.4 |
|
192.5 |
|
(32.4 |
) |
(9.2 |
) |
217.9 |
|
39.3 |
|
(532.2 |
) |
830.7 |
|
480.1 |
|
(112.5 |
) |
(102.5 |
) |
(102.5 |
) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Client Assets (at month end) |
10,963.5 |
|
11,228.1 |
|
11,593.9 |
|
11,828.0 |
|
11,834.3 |
|
11,903.0 |
|
12,148.5 |
|
12,220.3 |
|
11,767.9 |
|
12,605.3 |
|
13,135.3 |
|
13,084.9 |
|
13,042.5 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Client Accounts (at month end, in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Active Brokerage Accounts |
37,658 |
|
37,798 |
|
37,963 |
|
38,145 |
|
38,266 |
|
38,506 |
|
38,730 |
|
38,925 |
|
39,099 |
|
39,300 |
|
39,536 |
|
39,802 |
|
39,940 |
|
– |
|
6 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| New Brokerage Accounts (in thousands) |
377 |
|
382 |
|
384 |
|
429 |
|
365 |
|
474 |
|
476 |
|
395 |
|
428 |
|
437 |
|
461 |
|
490 |
|
417 |
|
(15 |
%) |
11 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Client Daily Average Trades (DATs) (in thousands) |
7,252 |
|
7,182 |
|
7,832 |
|
8,617 |
|
8,459 |
|
7,746 |
|
9,512 |
|
9,922 |
|
10,232 |
|
10,328 |
|
11,813 |
|
13,615 |
|
11,648 |
|
(14 |
%) |
61 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative Trades as a Percentage of Total Trades |
21.3 |
% |
22.5 |
% |
22.3 |
% |
23.8 |
% |
21.7 |
% |
21.4 |
% |
20.1 |
% |
20.1 |
% |
20.4 |
% |
21.4 |
% |
19.8 |
% |
17.7 |
% |
20.6 |
% |
290 bp | (70) bp | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Margin Balances at month end (in billions of dollars) (4) |
88.3 |
|
92.4 |
|
97.2 |
|
105.6 |
|
110.1 |
|
112.3 |
|
116.3 |
|
120.6 |
|
126.7 |
|
136.0 |
|
154.6 |
|
165.1 |
|
169.9 |
|
3 |
% |
92 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Schwab Trading Activity Index ™ (STAX) (5) |
41.8 |
|
43.7 |
|
46.1 |
|
48.1 |
|
48.8 |
|
48.5 |
|
50.0 |
|
57.3 |
|
56.0 |
|
50.1 |
|
55.1 |
|
59.1 |
|
59.8 |
|
1 |
% |
43 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Selected Balances (in billions of dollars) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Interest-Earning Assets (6) |
416.7 |
|
414.4 |
|
419.8 |
|
428.3 |
|
429.1 |
|
436.0 |
|
441.7 |
|
434.2 |
|
436.8 |
|
444.6 |
|
442.0 |
|
448.4 |
|
449.9 |
|
– |
|
8 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Transactional Sweep Cash (4,7) (at month end) |
407.5 |
|
406.7 |
|
425.6 |
|
428.8 |
|
427.5 |
|
453.7 |
|
433.3 |
|
436.1 |
|
461.5 |
|
467.6 |
|
472.4 |
|
485.7 |
|
476.8 |
|
(2 |
%) |
17 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Total Money Market Funds (at month end) |
658.6 |
|
665.2 |
|
667.0 |
|
675.5 |
|
685.9 |
|
694.5 |
|
693.4 |
|
696.2 |
|
702.2 |
|
688.1 |
|
694.6 |
|
691.9 |
|
695.3 |
|
– |
|
6 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Client Cash as a Percentage of Client Assets (8) |
9.7 |
% |
9.5 |
% |
9.4 |
% |
9.3 |
% |
9.4 |
% |
9.7 |
% |
9.3 |
% |
9.3 |
% |
9.9 |
% |
9.2 |
% |
8.9 |
% |
9.0 |
% |
9.0 |
% |
– |
|
(70) bp | |||||||||||||||||||
| Client Activity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mutual Funds |
(3.4 |
) |
(2.2 |
) |
(4.8 |
) |
(6.3 |
) |
(7.3 |
) |
(3.6 |
) |
(0.9 |
) |
(2.4 |
) |
(8.5 |
) |
(5.7 |
) |
(7.4 |
) |
(10.4 |
) |
(6.0 |
) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) |
25.8 |
|
23.0 |
|
25.6 |
|
28.1 |
|
24.9 |
|
39.8 |
|
34.8 |
|
37.4 |
|
25.3 |
|
27.4 |
|
34.2 |
|
32.0 |
|
36.3 |
|
– |
|
– |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Client Daily Average Trades (DATs) (in thousands) |
7,252 |
|
7,182 |
|
7,832 |
|
8,617 |
|
8,459 |
|
7,746 |
|
9,512 |
|
9,922 |
|
10,232 |
|
10,328 |
|
11,813 |
|
13,615 |
|
11,648 |
|
(14 |
%) |
61 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Total Client Assets (at month end) |
10,963.5 |
|
11,228.1 |
|
11,593.9 |
|
11,828.0 |
|
11,834.3 |
|
11,903.0 |
|
12,148.5 |
|
12,220.3 |
|
11,767.9 |
|
12,605.3 |
|
13,135.3 |
|
13,084.9 |
|
13,042.5 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Buy (Sell) Activity (in billions of dollars) (9) |
(3.4 |
) |
(2.2 |
) |
(4.8 |
) |
(6.3 |
) |
(7.3 |
) |
(3.6 |
) |
(0.9 |
) |
(2.4 |
) |
(8.5 |
) |
(5.7 |
) |
(7.4 |
) |
(10.4 |
) |
(6.0 |
) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net New Assets (1) |
45.7 |
|
43.3 |
|
45.4 |
|
41.6 |
|
38.7 |
|
77.9 |
|
27.6 |
|
32.5 |
|
79.8 |
|
6.7 |
|
49.9 |
|
62.1 |
|
58.1 |
|
60.1 |
|
(3 |
%) |
32 |
% |
||||||||||||||||
| Core Net New Assets (1,2) |
46.9 |
|
44.4 |
|
46.2 |
|
44.4 |
|
40.4 |
|
79.1 |
|
27.8 |
|
32.5 |
|
79.7 |
|
7.2 |
|
49.9 |
|
62.7 |
|
60.1 |
|
58.1 |
|
(7 |
%) |
24 |
% |
||||||||||||||||
| Total Client Assets (at month end) |
10,963.5 |
|
11,228.1 |
|
11,593.9 |
|
11,828.0 |
|
11,834.3 |
|
11,903.0 |
|
12,148.5 |
|
12,220.3 |
|
11,767.9 |
|
12,605.3 |
|
13,135.3 |
|
13,084.9 |
|
13,042.5 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transactional Sweep Cash (4,7) (at month end) |
407.5 |
|
406.7 |
|
425.6 |
|
428.8 |
|
427.5 |
|
453.7 |
|
433.3 |
|
436.1 |
|
461.5 |
|
467.6 |
|
472.4 |
|
485.7 |
|
476.8 |
|
(2 |
%) |
17 |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
| Total Client Assets (at month end) |
10,963.5 |
|
11,228.1 |
|
11,593.9 |
|
11,828.0 |
|
11,834.3 |
|
11,903.0 |
|
12,148.5 |
|
12,220.3 |
|
11,767.9 |
|
12,605.3 |
|
13,135.3 |
|
13,084.9 |
|
13,042.5 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net New Assets(1) |
45.7 |
|
43.3 |
|
45.4 |
|
41.6 |
|
38.7 |
|
77.9 |
|
27.6 |
|
32.5 |
|
79.8 |
|
6.7 |
|
49.9 |
|
62.1 |
|
58.1 |
|
60.1 |
|
(3 |
%) |
32 |
% |
||||||||||||||||
| Total Client Assets (at month end) |
10,963.5 |
|
11,228.1 |
|
11,593.9 |
|
11,828.0 |
|
11,834.3 |
|
11,903.0 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
