Charles Schwab opens BTC/ETH spot trading to 39 million clients, Alcoa and NYDIG engage in in-depth negotiations over the sale of the New York smelting plant

Mars Finance news: According to BBX data, traditional financial institutions and industrial infrastructure are accelerating their two-way penetration into the crypto track in tandem over the weekend. The key developments are as follows: The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: $SCHW) officially launched the Schwab Crypto platform on April 17, rolling it out in phases. Through its Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, it will open direct spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum to 39 million active brokerage account customers. Paxos provides compliant custody and trade execution, with fees set at 75 basis points per transaction; initially excluding New York State and Louisiana. In the same quarter, the company recorded earnings of $1.43 per share and revenue of $6.48 billion in Q1 2026, and as of early 2026, total client assets are approximately $12.22 trillion. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE: $AA) CEO Bill Oplinger confirmed in a Bloomberg interview on April 17 that the company is conducting in-depth negotiations with Bitcoin financial services firm NYDIG regarding the sale of the Massena East smelting plant site in New York (1,300 acres, shut down since 2014). “The deal should be completed by mid-year.” The site is adjacent to the St. Lawrence River and can access hydropower resources provided by the New York Power Authority. NYDIG has been operating Bitcoin mining facilities there since 2024, and after the acquisition, it will gain full control over the infrastructure. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.