Quick answer: The hottest crypto story today is Wall Street opening its doors. Charles Schwab now lets all eligible clients trade Bitcoin and Ether, and Deutsche Bank says its crypto custody launch is weeks away. Meanwhile, prices are flat and U.S. crypto ETFs keep losing money, with Bitcoin near $81,400.
Key takeaways
- Schwab, the largest U.S. brokerage, has opened direct Bitcoin and Ether trading to every eligible client, with three more coins scheduled.
- Deutsche Bank is weeks away from holding Bitcoin and Ether for institutional clients, pending regulatory approval.
- Bitcoin is near $81,400 and Ethereum near $2,418, with a total market value around $2.84 trillion.
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs lost $614.7 million over October’s first 12 trading sessions.
- Sentiment is in the greed zone at 55 but cooling slightly.
What is the biggest crypto news today?
Charles Schwab has opened Bitcoin and Ether trading to all eligible clients, giving millions of everyday brokerage customers direct access to crypto.
Schwab is the largest U.S. brokerage, so the move matters beyond its own customers. Clients no longer need to rely only on exchange-traded funds to get exposure. Three more coins are scheduled to follow, which suggests the offering will keep widening. Eligibility rules still apply, so check your account requirements before trading.
Is Deutsche Bank launching crypto custody?
Yes, it is close. A co-head of Deutsche Bank’s corporate bank said on October 16 that the bank is only weeks away from holding Bitcoin and Ether for institutional clients.
The launch still depends on the regulator’s green light, so the timing is not guaranteed. Custody is the infrastructure large investors need before committing serious money, which is why bank launches like this are watched closely.
What is the Bitcoin price today?
Bitcoin is trading near $81,400, down about 0.7% in 24 hours and roughly 4% lower so far in October.
Ethereum is near $2,418, and total crypto market capitalization is about $2.84 trillion on $78.8 billion in daily trading volume. Bitcoin dipped below $80,000 earlier in the week before recovering. Its all-time high remains about $126,210. Analysts cited by crypto.news see a range of $78,000 to $87,500 as the base case for November, with a recovery case of $87,500 to $95,000 and a downside case of $75,000 to $78,000. These are scenarios, not forecasts, and depend on the Federal Reserve decision and incoming data.
Why are crypto ETFs seeing outflows?
Investors are cutting risk amid inflation, oil price and Federal Reserve worries. Spot Bitcoin ETFs lost a net $614.7 million over October’s first 12 trading sessions, and Ether ETFs lost about $320 million this week.
On Friday, October 16, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs lost a net $82.39 million. Ether funds have now overtaken Bitcoin funds in weekly outflows. Outflows tend to reflect short-term positioning, but they remain a useful signal of institutional mood.
What did Vitalik Buterin say about Ethereum?
Vitalik Buterin says the race to make zero-knowledge Ethereum proofs fast is “definitively won” and that the top priority should now shift fully to security.
His comments followed news that ZKsync’s Airbender Prime proved Ethereum blocks on a single GPU. The next challenge, he argues, is verifying that the provers themselves are correct.
Which altcoins are moving today?
Aleo led the gainers with about a 21% rise, and Celestia gained about 19%. StarkNet and LayerZero were among the biggest losers.
Broader trading volume fell nearly 17% in 24 hours according to CoinCodex, so many of these moves happened on thinner liquidity. Small-cap tokens can swing sharply on low volume.
What does today’s sentiment say?
Sentiment is in the Greed zone at about 55, but the market has shifted from a mild rebound to a gentle pullback in one day.
Taken together, the picture is cautious: institutions are opening new doors, while price action and ETF flows stay soft. The next catalysts are the Federal Reserve decision and U.S. inflation data.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest crypto news today?
The biggest story on October 17, 2026 is Charles Schwab opening Bitcoin and Ether trading to all eligible clients, with three more coins scheduled to follow. Deutsche Bank also said it is weeks away from launching crypto custody for institutional clients.What is the Bitcoin price today?
Bitcoin traded near $81,400 on October 17, 2026, down about 0.7% over 24 hours and roughly 4% lower in October. Ethereum traded near $2,418. Prices change quickly, so check a live tracker.Why are crypto ETFs seeing outflows?
Spot Bitcoin ETFs lost a net $614.7 million over October’s first 12 trading sessions, including $82.39 million on Friday, October 16. Ether ETFs lost about $320 million in the week. Outflows usually reflect short-term risk reduction amid inflation, oil and Federal Reserve worries.Can I now buy Bitcoin at Charles Schwab?
Schwab says every eligible client can now trade Bitcoin and Ether directly. Eligibility rules apply, so check your account type and Schwab’s current requirements before trading.When will Deutsche Bank launch crypto custody?
A co-head of Deutsche Bank’s corporate bank said on October 16 that the launch is weeks away. The bank still needs regulatory approval, so timing could change.What is the crypto Fear and Greed Index today?
The index was around 55 on October 17, 2026, in the Greed zone but cooling slightly from the day before.This article is a news summary for information only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets are volatile. Do your own research before making financial decisions.