On August 27, 2026, Charles Schwab announced the addition of Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX) and Chainlink (LINK) to its Schwab Crypto platform, previously limited to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The U.S. broker, which oversees more than $13 trillion in client assets, is responding to growing demand for diversification across its 39.9 million active brokerage accounts.
🔑 Key takeaways
- Charles Schwab will add SOL, AVAX and LINK to Schwab Crypto starting in the fall of 2026.
- Transaction fees are set at 0.75% per trade, or 75 basis points.
- No staking service is offered, despite native yields of 6% to 7%.
- Solana jumped more than 9% within 24 hours of the announcement.
- Service is unavailable in New York, Louisiana and outside the United States.
An expansion awaited by 39.9 million accounts
Launched in May 2026 with Bitcoin and Ethereum as the only available assets, Schwab Crypto represents one of the most symbolic incursions by a leading brokerage into the digital asset ecosystem. The August 27, 2026 announcement marks a turning point: by integrating Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink, Schwab is expanding its catalog to five cryptocurrencies and paving the way for future additions.
Joe Vietri, head of digital assets at Charles Schwab, summed up the group’s philosophy: « With this expansion, clients will have more choices to build a digital asset allocation alongside the investing and banking experience they know and trust at Schwab. » A way to position Schwab Crypto not as a speculative product, but as a natural extension of traditional wealth management services.
The service will be available through Schwab.com, the Schwab Mobile app and the thinkorswim platform, operated by Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, a subsidiary of the group. Customer support is available 24/7, a standard that existing clients of the broker are familiar with.
0.75% fees: positioning versus the competition
Schwab charges 0.75% of the dollar value of each transaction, or 75 basis points. The broker presents this pricing as « among the lowest in the industry » for platforms integrated with a traditional brokerage account. A numerical comparison with main competitors helps put this positioning in perspective.
| Platform | Fees / spread | Assets offered (selection) |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Schwab Crypto | 0.75% per transaction | BTC, ETH, SOL, AVAX, LINK |
| Fidelity Crypto | Fixed 1% spread | BTC, ETH, LTC, SOL |
| Coinbase Advanced | Maker/taker 0 to 0.60% | Hundreds of assets |
| Robinhood | 0.35% to 0.85% spread | Major cryptos + dozens of altcoins |
| E*Trade (Morgan Stanley) | 0.50% per transaction | BTC, ETH, SOL |
For active investors and frequent traders, Schwab therefore remains more expensive than Coinbase Advanced or E*Trade. On the other hand, the platform retains an advantage in terms of integration: clients can manage their stocks, ETFs, bonds and cryptocurrencies from a single account, with a single customer service team.
Market reaction: SOL jumps 9%, AVAX and LINK rise
The announcement immediately triggered significant price moves across all three assets. Solana rose more than 9% within 24 hours, breaking above $100 to reach roughly $104.84, with an intraday high of $105.55. Trading volume on SOL surged approximately 70% over the same period, a sign of marked speculative interest.
Avalanche gained nearly 2% in the hour following the announcement, while Chainlink posted a gain of more than 2% in the same window, for a total of more than 5% over 24 hours. At the time of publication, market caps stood at roughly $61.5 billion for Solana, $8.8 billion for Chainlink and $3.2 billion for Avalanche.
« We are planning to expand the digital assets available on Schwab Crypto. Soon, clients will be able to buy and sell solana (SOL), avalanche (AVAX) and chainlink (LINK) in their Schwab Crypto accounts. »
Charles Schwab, official X account
Lack of staking leaves yield on the table
One notable point for potential holders concerns the absence of native staking on Schwab Crypto. Solana staking currently delivers an annualized yield of 6% to 7%, while Avalanche staking returns approximately 6.5%. By not offering this feature, Schwab is depriving its clients of a meaningful yield supplement compared with platforms such as Kraken, Coinbase or Lido.
For an investor holding $10,000 worth of SOL over a year, the difference could represent $600 to $700 in missed returns. This choice likely reflects a desire to limit operational and regulatory complexity, but it is a strong argument for clients who favor native yield.
A broader Wall Street trend
Schwab’s announcement fits into a broader trend: the integration of cryptocurrencies by major Wall Street players. Fidelity has already offered Solana to retail investors since October 2025, alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, the latter three being available since 2023. In July 2026, E*Trade, a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, launched its own spot trading on BTC, ETH and SOL through a partnership with Zerohash, billed at 0.50% per transaction.
The crypto community was quick to note the absences: highly demanded assets such as XRP, HYPE or Zcash are not part of this first wave of expansion. However, Charles Schwab confirmed its intention to add other cryptocurrencies and digital assets « over time, » without providing a calendar or an official list. The group also clarified that the cryptocurrencies offered are not securities, are not insured by the FDIC nor protected by the SIPC, and may lose all of their value.
Conclusion
The addition of Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink to Schwab Crypto sends a strong signal of convergence between traditional finance and digital assets. By leveraging an installed base of 39.9 million accounts and a regulated infrastructure, Schwab could accelerate mainstream adoption of SOL, AVAX and LINK beyond a mere headline effect. The challenge for the broker will now be to convince its most seasoned clients to stay on its platform despite the absence of staking and a fee schedule that is less competitive than native crypto platforms. The next step — the potential addition of XRP, stablecoins or L2 tokens — will be closely watched by the market.
Sources
- Cryptoast — Schwab adds Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink
- MarketWatch — Charles Schwab expands crypto platform
- Investing.com — Schwab to add SOL, AVAX, LINK
- TradingView / Cointelegraph — Schwab crypto expansion
- CryptoNews — Schwab extends crypto lineup
- CoinGape — Charles Schwab to add three new tokens
This article is published for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice. Do your own research (DYOR) before making any decision.
