Charles Schwab to List Solana, Avalanche, and Chainlink as It Broadens Crypto Access

Charles Schwab is moving past its Bitcoin and Ethereum starter set. The firm said it will add Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), and Chainlink (LINK) to Schwab Crypto “in the coming months,” without a firm launch date. Trading will be available on the Schwab website, mobile app, and thinkorswim, with eligible clients paying 75 basis points per trade—0.75%, or $7.50 on a $1,000 order—which Schwab characterizes as among the industry’s lowest.

This next wave follows a staged rollout: Schwab confirmed plans to start with Bitcoin and Ethereum in April 2026 and began offering direct trading to select retail clients in May. Prior to that, customers could only access crypto exposure through exchange-traded products and by buying shares of crypto-linked companies such as Coinbase and MicroStrategy. In 2024, Schwab signaled it would wait for clearer U.S. rules before launching direct crypto access. The firm also continues to evaluate additional digital-asset products; in 2025, CEO Rick Wurster said Schwab wanted to explore a dollar-pegged stablecoin, though none has been announced.

The choice of SOL, AVAX, and LINK is telling. Rather than chasing novelty, Schwab is curating tokens that already anchor significant onchain activity: - Solana emphasizes high throughput and low-cost settlement, powering consumer-facing apps across trading, payments, and gaming. - Avalanche enables custom, application-specific blockchains that appeal to enterprises and developers requiring configurability. - Chainlink is the de facto data layer for smart contracts, routing external information—like asset prices—securely into blockchains.

That mix reflects a practical screen: recognizable assets with real network utility, strong developer traction, and clear narratives clients can diligence. It also fits Schwab’s stated posture—expand choice while surrounding access with education, tools, and support—so clients can decide how crypto fits within broader investment goals.

The 0.75% fee sits in an interesting zone. It’s leaner than what many retail investors effectively pay at high-spread venues, yet above pro-exchange maker/taker tiers. For a brokerage client base that values consolidated statements, tax reporting, and portfolio tools, the simplicity may outweigh a few basis points. Embedding crypto in thinkorswim also matters: options and equity traders already living in that terminal can route orders in a familiar workflow, which often drives higher, stickier engagement.

Bringing SOL, AVAX, and LINK under the Schwab umbrella could influence flows more than headline coverage suggests. Many investors who avoided opening a separate exchange account are comfortable allocating within their existing brokerage. That reduces the perceived friction and counterparty anxiety that have kept some sidelined. At the same time, curated access acts as a soft risk filter—fewer tail assets, more emphasis on networks with established ecosystems—tempering the impulse to chase illiquid momentum names.

There’s also a signaling effect. When a major brokerage lists a set of assets, advisory teams and self-directed investors tend to research those first. Educational scaffolding—explainers, risk disclosures, and analytics—can shape how newcomers evaluate throughput claims on Solana, subnet design on Avalanche, or oracle dependencies with Chainlink. Done well, that framing nudges investors toward utility-focused theses instead of purely reflexive price-action trades.

If Schwab ultimately introduces a stablecoin, it would create a cleaner bridge between brokerage cash and onchain activity, but that remains exploratory. For now, the firm is taking the more conservative path: expand the roster to high-velocity layer-1s and core infrastructure, phase access, standardize fees, and keep clients inside the platform where risk, reporting, and support live side by side.