Opinion: Institutional investors are flocking to the Bitcoin retail market, which may lead to strong growth in 2026.

According to Forbes, Vanguard and Merrill Lynch announced this week that they will expand client access to crypto ETFs. Furthermore, Charles Schwab stated that he will allow Bitcoin trading on his platform in the first half of 2026. This means that over $30 trillion will be available for purchasing BTC in the coming months.

For established firms like Vanguard and Merrill, who adhere to a "don't be evil" policy, it's better to miss out on big deals or products than to recommend products that ultimately run into problems. Therefore, these firms have been patiently observing the asset and its success since the ETF's launch on January 11, 2024.

These institutions undoubtedly received countless inquiries from clients about accessing these products and saw meaningful outflows and inflows of funds into them. Therefore, for business reasons, they began allowing clients to purchase these ETFs directly on their platforms.

Over the past two years, the regulatory environment surrounding Bitcoin has changed significantly, with compliance and regulatory risks receding and being replaced by a government attitude that encourages the financial industry to accept and adopt these products.

In conclusion, the conditions are ripe for new large platforms to enter the Bitcoin space. Even if only 0.25% of the capital of Vanguard, Merrill Lynch, and Charles Schwab flows into Bitcoin, it represents an additional $75 billion in purchasing pressure that could see inflows over the next 12-24 months. Coupled with easing monetary conditions, strong growth is expected in 2026.