Charles Schwab to Add Solana, Avalanche, and Chainlink Trading to Schwab Crypto
Key Takeaways
- •Schwab Crypto currently offers direct spot trading only in Bitcoin and Ethereum, and the planned addition of SOL, AVAX and LINK would be its first move into altcoins.
- •Charles Schwab has 36 million active brokerage accounts and more than $10 trillion in assets, giving the expansion significant reach.
- •The listing would let investors who trade equities and ETFs access additional crypto assets through a regulated broker platform.
- •The move reflects broader institutional momentum, including more diversified interest in smart contract and infrastructure tokens.
- •Fidelity has already introduced retail spot crypto trading, while Vanguard has not entered the digital asset market.
Charles Schwab is preparing to expand its cryptocurrency business by adding Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), and Chainlink (LINK) trading to Schwab Crypto, its digital asset service, within the next few months. The expansion goes beyond the platform's existing Bitcoin and Ethereum offering, signaling that a $13 trillion holding company is embracing a broader range of digital assets as mainstream demand returns to altcoins. (Source: CoinDesk)
Charles Schwab's Expansion Strategy
Charles Schwab launched Schwab Crypto in May, offering direct spot trading in Bitcoin and Ethereum only. The addition of SOL, AVAX, and LINK would mark the first expansion of Schwab Crypto into altcoins. Until the platform's debut, Schwab clients could gain crypto exposure only indirectly, through futures-based ETFs and crypto-related equities, and the firm's leadership had publicly said for years that direct spot trading would come once U.S. regulation permitted.
Each of the three networks serves a distinct function in the digital asset ecosystem. Solana supports fast-throughput DeFi and consumer applications, Avalanche is used to build enterprise tokenization-enabled subnets, and Chainlink provides the secure oracle infrastructure supporting more than $27 billion in real value across DeFi.
Charles Schwab Brings Altcoins to the Mainstream
For investors and institutions, the scale of Charles Schwab's operations matters a great deal. The firm counts 36 million active brokerage accounts and more than $10 trillion in assets. The move gives investors who currently trade equities and ETFs access to altcoins through a regulated channel.
BREAKING: Charles Schwab to add Solana to Schwab Crypto Direct SOL access for 39.9M brokerage accounts, sitting on $13.04T in client assets pic.twitter.com/GpK72p0M2M — Solana (@solana) August 27, 2026
From a blockchain perspective, the listing opens mainstream distribution channels that were previously confined to Coinbase and Kraken, giving investors access to liquidity as well. For other firms in the space, the competitive environment is intensifying, as crypto flows can now be handled internally by traditional brokers rather than routed to specialized exchanges. The divide among incumbents is also widening: Fidelity began offering retail spot crypto trading ahead of Schwab, while Vanguard has declined to offer digital assets and opted against listing spot Bitcoin ETFs on its platform.
Institutional Crypto Momentum Accelerates
The new offering matches trends taking place at the institutional level. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have already crossed $120 billion in net assets since January 2024, with BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust the largest among them, while asset managers are moving closer to diversified holdings of smart contract and infrastructure tokens.
At the same time, improving U.S. regulatory guidance has enabled companies to list assets they regard as having strong developer activity, transparent governance, and compliance.
