Charles Schwab vs Robinhood Markets: Founders, CEOs and History
Charles Schwab was founded in 1971 by Charles R. Schwab and is led by Rick Wurster. Robinhood Markets was founded in 2013 by Vlad Tenev, Baiju Bhatt and is led by Vlad Tenev.
Company facts
Charles Schwab
- Founded
- 1971
- Headquarters
- Westlake, Texas
- Current CEO
- Rick Wurster
- Employees
- 33,000
Robinhood Markets
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Menlo Park, California
- Current CEO
- Vlad Tenev
- Employees
- 2,900
Founders
Charles Schwab
Charles R. Schwab
Charles R. 'Chuck' Schwab founded the company in San Francisco in 1971 as First Commander Corporation, an investment newsletter and small brokerage. Before 1975, brokerage commissions were fixed, which made frequent investing expensive for ordinary savers.
Robinhood Markets
Vlad Tenev
Vlad Tenev co-founded Robinhood in 2013 and has been sole CEO since November 2020; he is also chairman.
Baiju Bhatt
Baiju Bhatt co-founded Robinhood in 2013 and was co-CEO with Vlad Tenev until November 2020, when he became Chief Creative Officer and focused on product and design.
CEOs and their tenures
Charles Schwab
- Mike Verdeschi
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer
Mike Verdeschi is Schwab's CFO and presents its quarterly results, including the record Q2 2026 GAAP EPS of $1.54 and the $11.8 billion of capital returned to shareholders in 2025.
Source - Walter W. Bettinger II2008–2024
Co-Chairman and Former CEO
Walt Bettinger joined Schwab in 1995 when it bought The Hampton Company, the retirement-plan firm he founded, and became CEO in October 2008.
Source - Richard A. Wurster2025–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Rick Wurster became President and CEO on January 1, 2025, after joining Schwab in 2016 and serving as President of the company from October 2021, when he oversaw much of the TD Ameritrade integration.
Source
Robinhood Markets
- Vlad Tenev2013–present
Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under Tenev, Robinhood moved from a $541 million net loss in 2023 to $1.883 billion of net income on $4.473 billion of revenue in 2025.
Source - Baiju Bhatt2013–2020
Co-founder and former co-CEO
Shared the CEO role with Vlad Tenev until November 2020, then served as Chief Creative Officer until 2024.
Source - Shiv Verma2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
Succeeded long-time CFO Jason Warnick in 2025.
Source
Timeline: Charles Schwab and Robinhood Markets side by side
1971Charles Schwab
Company Founded
Charles R. Schwab founded the business that became a discount brokerage pioneer.
1975Charles Schwab
Discount Brokerage Breakthrough
Brokerage commission deregulation allowed Schwab to challenge full-service Wall Street pricing.
1987Charles Schwab
Independence and NYSE IPO
Schwab bought the firm back from BankAmerica in a management buyout and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in September 1987.
2011Charles Schwab
Acquired OptionsXpress
Charles Schwab acquired OptionsXpress in 2011.
2012Charles Schwab
Acquired ThomasPartners
Charles Schwab acquired ThomasPartners in 2012.
2013Robinhood Markets
Robinhood is founded
Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt found Robinhood with a mission to democratize access to investing.
2015Robinhood Markets
Mobile app launches
Robinhood launches commission-free stock trading through a simple mobile brokerage app.
2018Robinhood Markets
Robinhood Crypto launches
Robinhood expands into crypto trading, adding a major cyclical revenue driver.
2019Charles Schwab
Zero-Commission Trading
Schwab eliminated online stock and ETF commissions, pushing the industry into a new pricing model.
2020Charles Schwab
TD Ameritrade Acquisition
Schwab completed its acquisition of TD Ameritrade, adding scale and the thinkorswim platform.
2021Robinhood Markets
GameStop restrictions and IPO
Robinhood faces scrutiny during the meme-stock trading episode and later goes public on Nasdaq.
2023Robinhood Markets
X1 acquisition adds card capability
Robinhood acquires X1, helping build the Robinhood Gold Card strategy.
2024Robinhood Markets
Robinhood Gold Card launches
Robinhood launches the Gold Card, built on technology from its 2023 X1 acquisition.
2025Charles Schwab
Rick Wurster Becomes CEO
Rick Wurster succeeded Walt Bettinger as CEO on January 1, 2025; Schwab ended the year with $23.921 billion in net revenues and $8.852 billion in net income.
2025Robinhood Markets
TradePMR and Bitstamp expand product reach
Robinhood uses acquisitions to expand advisory infrastructure and crypto exchange capability.
2025Robinhood Markets
Revenue reaches $4.473B
Robinhood reports FY2025 total net revenues of $4.473B and net income of $1.883B.
2025Robinhood Markets
Joins the S&P 500
Robinhood is added to the S&P 500 index in September 2025.
2026Charles Schwab
Forge Global Acquisition Closes
Schwab completed its $660 million all-cash acquisition of private-markets platform Forge Global on March 2, 2026.
2026Charles Schwab
Record Q2 and $13 Trillion in Client Assets
Q2 2026 net revenues reached a record $7.072 billion and client assets hit $13.08 trillion; Schwab also launched Schwab Crypto spot trading.
2026Robinhood Markets
Q1 revenue of $1.07 billion
Robinhood reports Q1 2026 total net revenues of $1.07 billion, up 15%, as crypto revenue falls.
2026Robinhood Markets
10% workforce reduction
In June 2026 Robinhood cuts about 290 roles to flatten management layers.
2026Robinhood Markets
Record Q2 revenue of $1.31 billion
Q2 2026 revenue rises 32% to $1.31 billion, net income reaches $573 million, and funded customers hit 28.4 million.
Acquisitions
Charles Schwab
- Forge Global Holdings, Inc.2026$660M
- TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation2020$26B
- Motif Investing (Technology Assets)2020Undisclosed
- OptionsXpress Holdings, Inc.2011$1B
- U.S. Trust Corporation2000$2.7B
Robinhood Markets
- TradePMR2025$300M
- Bitstamp2025$200M
- X12023$95M
- Say Technologies2021$140M
- MarketSnacks2019Undisclosed
Questions about Charles Schwab vs Robinhood Markets
Who is the CEO of The Charles Schwab Corporation and Robinhood Markets, Inc.?
The Charles Schwab Corporation is led by Rick Wurster and Robinhood Markets, Inc. is led by Vlad Tenev. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was The Charles Schwab Corporation founded vs Robinhood Markets, Inc.?
The Charles Schwab Corporation was founded in 1971 — 42 years before Robinhood Markets, Inc., which was founded in 2013. The Charles Schwab Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Robinhood Markets, Inc..
How many employees does The Charles Schwab Corporation have compared to Robinhood Markets, Inc.?
The Charles Schwab Corporation employs approximately 33,000 people, while Robinhood Markets, Inc. employs approximately 2,900. The Charles Schwab Corporation has the larger workforce at 33,000 employees, compared to Robinhood Markets, Inc.'s 2,900. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are The Charles Schwab Corporation and Robinhood Markets, Inc. headquartered?
Both The Charles Schwab Corporation and Robinhood Markets, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded The Charles Schwab Corporation and Robinhood Markets, Inc.?
The Charles Schwab Corporation was founded by Charles R. Schwab. Robinhood Markets, Inc. was founded by Vlad Tenev, Baiju Bhatt.
Which company has a longer operating history — The Charles Schwab Corporation or Robinhood Markets, Inc.?
The Charles Schwab Corporation has been operating for approximately 55 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Robinhood Markets, Inc. has been in operation for around 13 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Charles Schwab vs Robinhood Markets overview