Charles Schwab adds Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink to crypto trading

What happened

Charles Schwab has moved Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink from its expansion plan into live trading. The brokerage announced on Nov. 9 that eligible Schwab Crypto clients can now buy and sell the three tokens alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum, NewsBTC and The Daily Hodl reported.

The addition brings the platform to five supported cryptocurrencies. Schwab said its crypto service became broadly available to qualifying retail customers in October 2026, following early access that began in May, according to The Daily Hodl. The company also said it intends to add more cryptocurrencies and digital assets over time.

Clients can access the service through Schwab.com, the Schwab Mobile app and thinkorswim, with 24/7 support and educational materials. The Daily Hodl reported that trading carries a fee of 75 basis points on the dollar value of each transaction. The service is available in all US states except New York and Louisiana.

Joe Vietri, Schwab's head of digital assets, described the expansion as a way to give clients more choice and flexibility in how they invest in digital assets alongside other holdings, according to The Daily Hodl. The reports stressed that the announcement concerns direct crypto trading, not approval of new exchange-traded funds for Solana, Avalanche or Chainlink.

Why it matters

For the three altcoins, the listing creates a route to customers who prefer established brokerage infrastructure and integrated account management over a separate crypto-native platform. NewsBTC noted that the shift from planned to available is the operational milestone, because the product already has users rather than being a future concept.

A brokerage listing is an access decision, not a research verdict. NewsBTC reported that Schwab selects instruments based on factors such as liquidity, client interest, operational readiness and risk controls. Adding a symbol can broaden participation, but it does not by itself establish institutional conviction in a particular network or show that demand will follow.

What the data shows

At the time of The Daily Hodl's report, Solana was priced at $86.51, down 5.8% over the prior week. Chainlink was at $10.65, down 4.2% over seven days, while Avalanche was at $8.65, up 3% over the same period.

The reports did not include day-one trading volumes for the new assets or estimates of how much demand each token would receive. NewsBTC noted that such usage data would be needed to judge whether the launch deepens liquidity or mainly moves existing traders between providers.

Background

Schwab's crypto rollout has been phased. Early access began in May 2026, and the service opened to eligible retail clients in October 2026. NewsBTC had covered the earlier expansion plan in August, and the November update supplied the operational confirmation that the named assets were live.

The reports also drew distinctions among the assets. Solana is a smart-contract network used for activities including trading, payments and tokenized assets. Avalanche runs a separate blockchain ecosystem focused on customizable network infrastructure. Chainlink is associated with data and connectivity services for smart contracts. They are all crypto assets, but the reports said they are not interchangeable bets on one technology.

NewsBTC cautioned that access is not universal and that customers should review risk disclosures and custody arrangements rather than assume conventional brokerage protections apply identically to every digital-asset holding.

What is still unclear

Several questions remain open. It is not yet known how many customers will open or fund Schwab Crypto accounts, how much activity will flow into Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink, or whether Schwab will add further tokens. The announcement did not provide those figures.

What to watch

Investors and industry observers can watch for usage disclosures, additional asset listings and any changes to state availability. Schwab has said it plans to expand the crypto menu over time, and the next updates may show whether the new assets attract sustained client activity.

The reports also point to the need for clear risk and custody information as brokerage distribution widens.

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