Charles Schwab plans to expand its cryptocurrency trading platform beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum by adding Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink in the coming months, opening three of the largest non-Bitcoin digital assets to the brokerage’s 39 million active accounts.
The move would make SOL, AVAX and LINK the first additional spot crypto assets available through Schwab Crypto since the platform began offering Bitcoin and Ethereum trading in May. Schwab said clients will be able to buy and sell the tokens directly through its crypto service, which charges 75 basis points, or 0.75%, per transaction.
Schwab oversees more than $12 trillion in client assets, according to the company. Its entry into trading for Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink adds a large U.S. brokerage channel for assets that many clients previously accessed through specialist crypto platforms or self-custody wallets.
The announcement also signals that Schwab’s crypto offering is moving beyond the market’s two most established assets and into networks with more specific roles in decentralized finance and blockchain infrastructure. Solana and Avalanche are smart-contract blockchains, while Chainlink operates a decentralized oracle network that supplies blockchain applications with external data.
Three distinct crypto networks
Solana has built a substantial market presence around low-cost, high-speed transactions and a growing ecosystem of decentralized applications. Its network has been widely used for token trading, stablecoin transfers and consumer-facing crypto applications, although periods of heavy activity have also placed its infrastructure under scrutiny.
Avalanche offers a smart-contract platform built around its own approach to transaction validation and customizable blockchain networks. The project has positioned its technology for applications that may require distinct environments, including financial products and tokenized assets.
Chainlink differs from both because it is not primarily a base-layer blockchain competing for application activity. Its oracle services connect smart contracts with information outside their native blockchain, such as price feeds, interest rates and other data that decentralized applications require to execute automated functions. LINK is used within the Chainlink ecosystem, including as part of its economic and security model.
Putting the three assets on the same platform gives Schwab clients access to different segments of the crypto market rather than simply adding more tokens with similar use cases. The selection covers two major smart-contract ecosystems and a core provider of blockchain data infrastructure.
Schwab expands after May spot launch
Schwab Crypto launched spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum in May, beginning the firm’s direct crypto trading offering with assets that have the deepest liquidity and the longest record in U.S. markets.
The planned expansion gives the brokerage five spot crypto assets in total. Schwab did not provide a specific launch date for SOL, AVAX and LINK, saying only that the assets would be added “in the coming months.”
Vietri, Schwab’s head of digital assets, said in the company’s release that the additions are intended to give clients more options for digital-asset exposure. Schwab also pointed to educational material, trading tools, resources and support offered alongside its crypto services.
Those features may be especially relevant for clients accustomed to trading stocks, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds through a conventional brokerage account. Direct crypto trading introduces different market structures, including continuous trading, potentially sharp price moves and assets whose value can respond quickly to network developments, regulation and liquidity conditions.
Brokerage access changes the distribution channel
The expansion does not alter how Solana, Avalanche or Chainlink operate on-chain. It changes how some U.S. clients could gain exposure to them, bringing the assets into an account environment already used for other financial products.
That distribution advantage could reduce the friction for existing Schwab customers who prefer to keep trading activity within a single brokerage relationship. At the same time, it does not replace the functions offered by crypto-native platforms or self-custody wallets, such as direct interaction with decentralized applications, staking arrangements where available, or movement of tokens across blockchain networks.
The 75-basis-point transaction charge is also a practical consideration. A fee of 0.75% means a $1,000 purchase or sale would carry a $7.50 charge before any other applicable costs. Clients comparing trading venues will likely weigh that cost against convenience, account integration, available order types and custody arrangements.
Schwab’s announcement offers no basis for predicting an immediate or sustained price effect for any of the three tokens. Listings can attract attention and improve accessibility, but token prices also depend on wider market conditions, network usage, supply dynamics and demand across many venues.
A measured step beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum
By choosing Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink, Schwab is extending its spot offering into parts of the crypto market tied to application networks and blockchain infrastructure. The firm has not indicated whether further tokens will follow or outlined criteria for future additions.
For clients, the change creates a more varied selection within Schwab Crypto while preserving a relatively narrow menu compared with crypto-native trading platforms. For Schwab, the rollout tests whether demand for assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum can be served within the compliance, custody and support framework of a major U.S. brokerage.
Want more on these altcoins? Deepen your research with our guide: learn about Avalanche (AVAX) today.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not represent the views or financial advice of Toobit. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information and shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from its use. Investing in digital assets involves risk; users should independently evaluate their financial situation and the risks involved. For further details, please consult our Terms of Service and Risk Disclosure.
