Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCHW), the largest discount broker, said today it will expand its Schwab ETF OneSource lineup of commission-free exchange traded funds to nearly 200 offerings starting on Feb. 1.
On that date, Schwab clients will be able to access 198 ETFs across 64 Morningstar categories on a commission-free basis. Schwab does not have any enrollment requirements or charge early redemption fees for the ETFs in the program – two key differentiators for investors comparing similar commission-free ETF programs, according to a statement issued by California-based Schwab earlier Monday.
OneSource, the largest commission-free ETF platform on the market today, has been a significant driver of ETF asset growth for Schwab. Last year, ETF assets custodied at Schwab surged 18% to $231 billion, according to the firm’s fourth-quarter and 2014 snapshot released. [ETF Assets Continue Flowing to Schwab]
“Schwab ETF OneSource has $38 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2014. Flows into ETFs in the program were over $10 billion in 2014, representing 43 percent of the total ETF flows at Schwab,” the company said in the statement.
In September, Schwab unveiled a massive expansion of its Schwab ETF OneSource commission-free ETF platform by adding 65 new ETFs and seven new issuers.
New providers joining OneSource are ALPS, Direxion Investments, Global X Funds, IndexIQ, PIMCO, ProShares and WisdomTree (NasdaqGS: WETF). Those firms join OneSource’s original members State Street (NYSE: STT), Guggenheim, Invesco’s (NYSE: IVZ) PowerShares, ETF Securities, U.S. Commodity Funds and Schwab’s own lineup of ETFs. [Schwab Bolsters Commission-Free ETF Lineup]