Fidelity Investments is reportedly widening the scope of its retail access to cover commission-free crypto trading services – a decision aimed at recognizing growing mainstream interest in digital assets. 

Specifically, per CNBC, Fidelity’s newly released crypto solution will be operated by its subsidiary, Fidelity Digital Assets. 

Going by the name Fidelity Crypto, the new service will offer retail investors the freedom to purchase and sell Bitcoin and Ether with minimal fees. 

Rather than a commission, Fidelity Crypto will introduce a 1% spread into every trade. In financial markets, a spread represents the difference between the buy and sell prices quoted for an asset.

Despite Fidelity not offering specific information regarding a release date for the new offering, it has made an early-access waitlist available to users. The brokerage shared its plan to focus on retail investors for commission-free crypto trading due to the fact that a major portion of its customers is already making investments in digital assets. 

“A meaningful portion of Fidelity customers are already interested in and own crypto,” the asset manager told CNBC in a statement.

Fidelity Digital haswiden the scope of its institutional offerings during the times where bearish movements are recorded across the market, having only recently rolled out Ether custody and trading services to its high-net-worth customers. 

In April 2022, the asset manager disclosed details of its plan to provide retirement savers the ability to invest in Bitcoin in a direct manner via their 401(k) accounts.

Fidelity has been a top-tier institutional proponent of Bitcoin and digital assets, viewing BTC a “superior form of money” that will develop in acceptance. Regardless of the fact that a majority of its efforts have been centric around institutional investors, speculation about a retail offering has been growing for some time.