Schwab now lets clients trade Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink. What beginners should know first

Charles Schwab, one of the biggest US brokerages, added three coins to its Schwab Crypto account on November 9, 2026: Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX) and Chainlink (LINK). Schwab clients in most states can now trade five coins next to their stocks and funds. Before you try it, know three things: the fee, which coins you can actually move out, and what isn't insured.

What happened

In a press release dated November 9, Schwab said SOL, AVAX and LINK are now available to buy and sell, each traded against the US dollar. They join bitcoin and ether, which were the account's first two coins.

This wasn't a surprise. On August 27, 2026, Schwab said it planned to add the same three tokens "in the coming months." Schwab Crypto itself first reached some clients in May 2026, then opened to every eligible retail client in October.

Schwab says it picks established coins that match what its clients ask for, and that it plans to add more cryptocurrencies and other digital assets over time. It didn't name which ones. Joe Vietri, Schwab's head of digital assets, said Schwab wants to give clients "greater choice and flexibility in how they invest in digital assets alongside their broader investments."

How Schwab Crypto works

• It's a separate account. The Schwab Crypto account is offered by Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, not by the brokerage. You need an eligible individual or joint Schwab brokerage account to link it to, and cash moves in only from that linked account.
• Fee: 0.75% of the trade's value on every buy and every sell, and Schwab says it adds no markup to the price. The smallest order is $1.
• Where you trade: Schwab.com, the Schwab Mobile app and thinkorswim, nearly around the clock except during maintenance windows.
• No margin. You can't borrow to buy crypto in the account.
• Support can change. Schwab notes it can pause, change or drop any coin it has announced if market, regulatory, operational or risk conditions call for it.
• Who holds the coins: Schwab's FAQ says Charles Schwab Premier Bank holds them, working with Paxos Trust Company as a sub-custodian, mostly in offline (cold) storage.
• Where it's offered: every US state except New York and Louisiana. It isn't available in US territories or outside the US.

The catch: you can't move the new coins out yet

This is easy to miss. Schwab's own table of supported coins lists transfers for Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink as not available, with deposits and withdrawals marked "coming soon." For now you can buy and sell them inside Schwab, but you can't send them to your own wallet or bring coins in from another exchange.

Bitcoin and ether transfers exist, but Schwab labels them a beta that it is rolling out to clients in phases. Even then there are limits: up to three withdrawals a day and $5,000 per transfer, and a new wallet address has to wait at least 24 hours on an approved list before you can send to it. That waiting period is a safety feature that slows down scammers who take over accounts.

If holding your own keys matters to you, that's a real limit today. If you just want price exposure inside an account you already use, it may not matter.

What isn't insured

Schwab says plainly that the coins in a Schwab Crypto account are not FDIC insured and not SIPC protected. Uninvested US dollars in the account sit in deposit accounts at Charles Schwab Premier Bank and can be FDIC insured on a pass-through basis, up to the standard $250,000 limit and subject to conditions. Those dollars are counted together with any money you already hold at that bank through Schwab's cash programs. They don't earn interest.

A big, regulated company holding your crypto lowers some risks, such as a shady offshore exchange vanishing. It doesn't lower price risk at all.

What this means for you

• Compare the cost. 0.75% each way means roughly 1.5% in Schwab fees for a buy and a later sell. A spot crypto ETF or another platform may cost more or less depending on how you trade; check before choosing.
• A listing isn't an endorsement. Schwab's disclosures describe crypto as highly volatile and say you can lose all the money you put in. Adding a coin doesn't make it safer or a better investment.
• Taxes still apply. Schwab says you get a tax form for the account only in years when you sell crypto. Our crypto tax guide explains the basics.
• Watch for scams that use the headline. Schwab says it will never ask you to share your passkey or move coins to an outside wallet. Anyone claiming to be "Schwab crypto support" who asks for either is a scammer. Use only the official Schwab app or a web address you type yourself. Our safe buying guide covers more.

The takeaway

Schwab Crypto now offers five coins: bitcoin, ether, Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink. It's a simple way for existing Schwab clients outside New York and Louisiana to trade crypto next to their other investments, at 0.75% a trade. The three new coins stay inside Schwab for now, and none of the crypto is FDIC or SIPC protected. This is education, not financial advice, and it isn't a reason to buy or sell anything.

Published November 9, 2026 by Dave McNaught. Educational content, not financial, legal or tax advice. Spot an error? Request a correction.

About the author

Dave McNaught

Dave McNaught has worked in IT since 1999 and founded All Business Technologies (ABT) in 2003, a Boston-area firm providing Managed IT, Cybersecurity, Managed AI, Web Design and App Development. He publishes The Crypto Guide.

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