Shares of The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) climbed roughly 2% after the firm published its monthly activity report and an accompanying forecast. The update provided several key metrics for April 2026 that underscore ongoing client engagement and expanding asset levels.
Schwab reported core net new assets of $7.2 billion for April 2026, and noted explicitly that those flows reflect the effect of client tax disbursements during the month. Total client assets at month-end stood at $12.61 trillion, representing a 27% increase from April 2025 and a 7% rise versus March 2026.
Daily activity on Schwab platforms also set a record in April. The company recorded daily average trades of 10.3 million, driven by sustained engagement in equities and exchange-traded fund (ETF) products. On the lending side, client margin loan balances reached an all-time high of $136.0 billion, up 21% from the end of last year; $29.6 billion of that total was attributed to long/short strategies.
Account growth during April added 437,000 new brokerage accounts, a figure that was flat compared with April 2025. Schwab reported that average interest-earning assets on its balance sheet totaled $444.6 billion in April, an increase of 3% from April 2025 and 2% compared with March 2026.
Key April metrics at a glance:
- Core net new assets: $7.2 billion
- Total client assets: $12.61 trillion (up 27% year-over-year; up 7% month-over-month)
- Daily average trades: 10.3 million (record)
- Client margin loan balances: $136.0 billion (record; +21% from year-end)
- New brokerage accounts opened in April: 437,000 (flat vs. April 2025)
- Average interest-earning assets: $444.6 billion (up 3% y/y; up 2% m/m)
The company's report highlights notable momentum in trading activity and asset accumulation while also calling out specific drivers of flow variability. The reference to client tax disbursements indicates that monthly flows can be materially affected by client cash movements tied to tax events. Meanwhile, the flat year-over-year count of new brokerage accounts signals stability in account acquisition versus the same month last year.
Overall, the April data present a mixed profile of record trading and lending engagement alongside more modest account growth, with total client assets continuing to expand on both a year-over-year and month-over-month basis.