Who Owns thinkorswim?
thinkorswim is owned by The Charles Schwab Corporation, a publicly traded company on the NYSE under ticker SCHW. The professional-grade trading platform was founded in 1999 by Tom Sosnoff, acquired by TD Ameritrade in 2009, and passed to Schwab through the 2020 TD Ameritrade merger. It serves active traders with options, futures, and equities tools across desktop, web, and mobile.
Parent Company
Acquired
2020
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
thinkorswim Timeline
Who Owns thinkorswim?
- Parent Company: The Charles Schwab Corporation
- Ownership Type: Product line
- Acquisition Year: 2020
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: SCHW
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| thinkorswim | The Charles Schwab Corporation | Product line |
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History of thinkorswim
- Founded: 1999
- Founders: Tom Sosnoff, Scott Sheridan
- Acquired by The Charles Schwab Corporation: 2020
thinkorswim was founded in 1999 in Chicago by Tom Sosnoff and Scott Sheridan, options traders who had previously built and sold the brokerage software firm thinkorswim Group's predecessor. Sosnoff, a former market maker on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, set out to build a trading platform for serious retail options traders, at a time when options tools were primitive and geared toward professionals.
The company, originally named Investools for its education business, developed the thinkorswim trading platform with a desktop application known for deep options analytics, probability tools, and customizable charting. The firm acquired and integrated the trading business, adopted the thinkorswim name for the whole company, and went public on the NASDAQ under ticker SWIM in 2007.
In January 2009 TD Ameritrade announced its acquisition of thinkorswim Group for approximately $606 million in cash and stock, completing the deal that June. Under TD Ameritrade, thinkorswim became the broker's flagship platform for active traders and developed a devoted user base known for its paperMoney simulated trading, thinkScript programming language, and deep options chain tools. Sosnoff left in 2011 and later founded the tastytrade media network.
When Schwab's TD Ameritrade acquisition closed in October 2020, thinkorswim became part of the Schwab platform lineup. Client migration ran through 2023, and by early 2024 the platform had fully transitioned to Schwab infrastructure with the TD Ameritrade brand retired. Schwab continued to develop it, adding features and maintaining it as the company's premium offering for self-directed active traders. In 2024 and 2025 thinkorswim experienced high-profile outages during extreme market volatility, including the August 2024 selloff and April 2025 tariff-driven swings, prompting service investment by Schwab.
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About The Charles Schwab Corporation
Is Charles Schwab publicly traded?
Yes. The Charles Schwab Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SCHW. Founder Charles Schwab is co-chairman and the largest individual shareholder, but no single holder controls the company.
When was Charles Schwab founded?
The company was founded in 1971 in San Francisco by Charles R. Schwab as First Commander Corporation, renamed Charles Schwab & Co. in 1973. It became a discount brokerage pioneer after the SEC abolished fixed commissions in May 1975.
Who owns Charles Schwab now?
Schwab is owned by its public shareholders. Major institutional investors including Vanguard and BlackRock hold large stakes, and founder Charles Schwab remains the biggest individual shareholder. Toronto-Dominion Bank's stake from the TD Ameritrade merger was sold in 2025.
Does Schwab own TD Ameritrade?
Yes. Schwab acquired TD Ameritrade in an all-stock transaction that closed in October 2020 for approximately $22 billion. The TD Ameritrade brand was retired after client accounts and the thinkorswim platform completed migration to Schwab in 2023 and 2024.
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Who is the CEO of Charles Schwab?
Rick Wurster has been president and chief executive officer since January 1, 2025. He succeeded Walt Bettinger, who led the company from 2008 through the end of 2024. Wurster joined Schwab in 2016.
Where is Charles Schwab headquartered?
Charles Schwab is headquartered in Westlake, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth. The company moved its headquarters from San Francisco, where it was founded, to Texas in 2021.
- Founded: 1971
- Headquarters: Westlake, Texas, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: SCHW
- Revenue: $23.9 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: approximately 33,000
Where Is thinkorswim Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Westlake, Texas, USA
thinkorswim Categories & Tags
thinkorswim Recalls & Controversies
The platform's controversies have centered on reliability during high-stress market events. In August 2024, thinkorswim and Schwab's systems suffered outages during a sharp market selloff, leaving some clients unable to access accounts at critical moments. Similar access issues occurred during the April 2025 tariff-driven volatility. Schwab acknowledged the disruptions and invested in capacity, and regulators including FINRA monitor such outages across the industry.
The platform has not faced a major security breach or product liability event of public record. Minor disputes over platform changes and the TD Ameritrade-to-Schwab migration drew user complaints during 2023 and 2024, largely resolved through updates.
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Brands Owned by The Charles Schwab Corporation
thinkorswim Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Backed by Schwab's $11.90 trillion scale and financial stability
- +Sustained investment in a platform with deep options and futures capability
- +Integration with Schwab's bank, research, and account ecosystem
- +paperMoney and thinkScript tools retain a loyal power-user base
Considerations
- -Migration-era outages dented reliability reputation among active traders
- -Heavyweight desktop software faces competition from lighter app rivals
- -Platform identity sits under the broader Schwab brand umbrella
- -Active trading segment is sensitive to volatility-driven volume swings
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Frequently Asked Questions About thinkorswim
Sources & Further Reading
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Competitors to thinkorswim
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Schwab | USA | 1971 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Morgan Stanley | USA (Morgan Stanley) | 1982 | Market leader | United states | All-consumers | |
| Edward Jones | USA | 1922 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Kalshi | USA | 2018 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Lpl Financial | USA | 1989 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Bank Of America | USA | 1914 | Premium | United states | Unisex |
Learn More About Competitors
Finance FintechCharles Schwab
Owned by The Charles Schwab Corporation
American brokerage and wealth management brand serving 38.5 million active accounts and $11.90 trillion in client assets, flagship of The Charles Schwab Corporation.
brokerageinvestingwealth-management
Finance FintechE*TRADE
Owned by Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley's digital retail brokerage brand, acquired in 2020 for approximately $13 billion, offering self-directed investing, trading, and banking to millions of clients.
online-brokerageinvestingtrading
Financial ServicesEdward Jones
Owned by Edward Jones
Master brand of the St. Louis-area financial services partnership founded in 1922, serving 9 million clients through 20,000 advisors.
financial-advisorywealth-managementbrokerage
Finance FintechKalshi
Owned by Kalshi Inc.
CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange where users trade contracts on real-world events, valued near $40 billion in late 2026 funding talks.
prediction-marketevent-contractscftc-regulated
Finance FintechLPL Financial
Owned by LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Flagship brand of the largest independent broker-dealer in the US, serving more than 32,000 advisors and $2.6 trillion in client assets.
broker-dealerwealth-managementfinancial-advisors
Finance FintechMerrill Lynch
Owned by Bank of America Corporation
American wealth management brand founded in 1914, serving millions of clients through advisor-led and digital investing services under Bank of America.
wealth-managementinvestingfinancial-advisor
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: thinkorswim competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to thinkorswim
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by The Charles Schwab Corporation, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Finance FintechKalshi
Owned by Kalshi Inc.
CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange where users trade contracts on real-world events, valued near $40 billion in late 2026 funding talks.
prediction-marketevent-contractscftc-regulated
Privately Owned
Kalshi is privately owned, unlike thinkorswim which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechStarwood Real Estate Income Trust (SREIT)
Owned by Starwood Capital Group
Non-traded perpetual-life NAV REIT sponsored by Starwood Capital Group, formed in 2017 to invest in stabilized income-producing real estate for individual investors.
reitnon-traded-reitreal-estate
Privately Owned
Starwood Real Estate Income Trust (SREIT) is privately owned, unlike thinkorswim which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechTrading 212
Owned by Trading 212
UK-based commission-free trading platform offering stocks, ETFs, and crypto to over 4.5 million clients across Europe.
tradinginvestingfintech
Privately Owned
Trading 212 is privately owned, unlike thinkorswim which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechBybit
Owned by Bybit Fintech Limited
Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange, the world's second-largest by trading volume, serving more than 80 million registered users.
crypto-exchangetradingbitcoin
Privately Owned
Bybit is privately owned, unlike thinkorswim which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechRevolut
Owned by Revolut Ltd.
British digital banking and fintech brand offering accounts, payments, currency exchange, crypto and stock trading to more than 50 million customers.
neobankfintechdigital-banking
Privately Owned
Revolut is privately owned, unlike thinkorswim which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechBarings
Owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
Global asset management firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and subsidiary of MassMutual, managing investments across fixed income, real estate, and private markets.
asset-managementinvestmentsfixed-income
Privately Owned
Barings is privately owned, unlike thinkorswim which is under a publicly traded parent company.
The Charles Schwab Corporation Stock Information
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