Schwab Starts Limited Pilot for Controlled AI Access to Its Systems

Charles Schwab has started a limited pilot connecting traders to a large language model through a firm-controlled channel, while preventing the model from moving money in customer accounts.

Schwab outlined the pilot at its Oct. 15 Fall Business Update. The connection runs through Schwab’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) layer, and the brokerage controls authentication for those connections. The pilot began with one model, and Schwab plans to expand it to more clients and models in the coming months.

MCP is an open protocol for connecting AI applications with tools and data. Access depends on what a connected system makes available.

Schwab also blocks unauthorized agents that try to log in for clients. The limited pilot uses a firm-controlled connection, distinct from agents attempting to sign in with client credentials.

Schwab had $13.33 trillion in client assets as of Sept. 30. The pilot adds to the brokerage’s broader work on AI tools for traders.