Charles Schwab is expanding its cryptocurrency offering with plans to add Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), and Chainlink (LINK) to its trading platform in the coming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move will increase the number of cryptocurrencies available through Schwab Crypto from two to five, giving U.S. retail investors more choices beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. While Schwab has not announced an exact launch date, the brokerage said customer demand will continue to influence which digital assets it adds in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The expansion represents another step by one of America’s largest brokerage firms into direct cryptocurrency trading as traditional financial companies compete for a growing share of the digital asset market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charles Schwab announced on Aug. 27 that clients will eventually be able to buy and sell SOL, AVAX, and LINK directly through Schwab Crypto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company did not provide a specific launch date or confirm whether all three cryptocurrencies will become available simultaneously. A phased rollout therefore remains possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bitcoin and Ethereum were the first cryptocurrencies supported when Schwab introduced direct crypto trading earlier in 2026. Adding the three altcoins will bring the platform’s planned lineup to five digital assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Schwab, customer interest played an important role in selecting the new tokens, with the company focusing on established cryptocurrencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe Vietri, Schwab’s head of digital assets, said the expansion is intended to provide customers with more options for building digital asset allocations alongside their traditional investments and banking services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab also expects to introduce additional cryptocurrencies over time, although it has not revealed which assets could be next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite requests from some crypto users, XRP, Hyperliquid, and Zcash were not included in the latest expansion. Schwab has not explained whether regulation, liquidity, customer demand, or other considerations influenced those decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab’s decision to support SOL, AVAX, and LINK builds on its initial rollout of direct Bitcoin and Ethereum trading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crypto transactions currently carry a fee of 0.75%, or 75 basis points, based on the dollar value of each transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab Premier Bank holds customer assets, while Paxos provides trade execution and sub-custody infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the main advantages for existing Schwab customers is integration. Investors can see their cryptocurrency positions alongside stocks, bonds, ETFs, and other investments using Schwab.com, Schwab Mobile, and thinkorswim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That could make crypto investing more convenient for customers who prefer managing traditional and digital assets through the same financial institution rather than maintaining accounts across multiple exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charles Schwab’s size could make its crypto expansion particularly significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of the second quarter, the brokerage reported approximately $13.1 trillion in total client assets and 39.8 million active brokerage accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quarterly revenue reached $7.1 billion, representing an increase of 21% compared with the previous year. Daily average trades also jumped 57% to approximately 11.9 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those figures do not represent money directly available for cryptocurrency purchases, but they demonstrate the enormous customer base Schwab can potentially introduce to direct crypto trading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before launching its spot crypto service, Schwab customers could already gain exposure to digital assets through ETFs, futures, and the Schwab Crypto Thematic ETF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CEO Rick Wurster previously said Schwab clients held approximately $25 billion worth of crypto exchange-traded products through the brokerage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Direct trading now gives those customers another way to access the market without opening an account at a dedicated cryptocurrency exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pricing will be another important factor as Schwab competes with other traditional financial institutions entering the cryptocurrency market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab currently charges 0.75% per crypto transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That puts its fee below Fidelity’s reported charge of approximately 1% but above the roughly 0.5% fee associated with Morgan Stanley’s E*Trade crypto service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
E*Trade has also included Solana alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum during its crypto pilot, highlighting growing competition among major U.S. brokerages to support assets beyond BTC and ETH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Morgan Stanley uses Zerohash for its crypto infrastructure, Schwab relies on Paxos for execution and sub-custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Competition among large financial institutions could eventually influence trading costs, supported assets, custody options, and other crypto-related services offered to retail investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite expanding its cryptocurrency lineup, Schwab Crypto still differs from a conventional crypto exchange in several important ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The service initially launched without external deposits or withdrawals. This means customers cannot necessarily move their digital assets freely between Schwab and personal wallets or other crypto platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Schwab said during its July earnings update that it had started testing cryptocurrency transfers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If fully introduced, transfer functionality could allow customers to move eligible digital assets between Schwab and external platforms, making the service more useful for investors who want greater control over their holdings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For now, customers also need a separate Schwab Crypto account connected to their existing brokerage relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The custody model differs from self-custody because customers do not directly control their assets through private keys. Instead, custody is handled through Schwab Premier Bank and its infrastructure provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab has not confirmed whether staking, on-chain withdrawals, or external deposits will be available for SOL, AVAX, and LINK when trading begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The expansion also does not mean every Schwab customer will immediately have access to the three new cryptocurrencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Schwab Crypto initially launched, the service was unavailable to customers in New York, Louisiana, U.S. territories, and international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest announcement did not confirm whether those geographic restrictions will change when SOL, AVAX, and LINK are introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, availability will depend on Schwab’s rollout schedule as well as regulatory and geographic requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab is also working on expanding digital asset services for registered investment advisers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A rollout targeted around mid-2027 is being considered and could eventually include spot crypto trading, transfers, and custody services. However, Schwab has indicated that the timeline remains subject to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three cryptocurrencies selected by Schwab moved higher following the announcement, with Solana posting the strongest performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOL traded around $104.84 and gained more than 9% over 24 hours. During the period, the token traded between approximately $95.23 and $105.55, while reported trading volume increased nearly 70%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the broader cryptocurrency market was also rallying, meaning Schwab’s announcement cannot necessarily be credited for the entire move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avalanche climbed around 2% within an hour of the news, while Chainlink also gained more than 2% over the same period. LINK’s 24-hour increase later moved beyond 5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The immediate market reaction nevertheless highlights the attention that listings from major traditional financial institutions can generate for digital assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charles Schwab’s expansion is part of a broader shift taking place across traditional finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Large brokerage firms increasingly see cryptocurrency as another asset class that clients expect to manage alongside stocks, bonds, ETFs, and other investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schwab’s decision to move beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum is particularly notable because it signals growing institutional acceptance of established altcoins such as Solana, Avalanche, and Chainlink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, the company’s approach remains more controlled than that of traditional crypto exchanges. Customers face geographic restrictions, custody limitations, and a relatively small selection of supported assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those restrictions could change as Schwab develops its crypto infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With $13.1 trillion in client assets and nearly 40 million active brokerage accounts, Schwab already has the scale to become a major gateway between traditional investing and digital assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adding SOL, AVAX, and LINK brings the brokerage one step closer to offering a broader crypto portfolio while keeping customers within the familiar Schwab ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Charles Schwab is expanding its cryptocurrency offering with plans to add Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), and Chainlink (LINK) to its trading platform in the coming months. The move will increase the number of cryptocurrencies available through Schwab Crypto from two to five, giving U.S. retail investors more choices beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. While Schwab has…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63,70],"tags":[414,319,89],"class_list":["post-16239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crypto-news","category-finance","tag-avalanche","tag-charles","tag-solana"],"yoast_head":"\n