Charles Schwab adds 3 altcoins, expanding crypto lineup to 5 tokens

Charles Schwab plans to add Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink to its crypto platform, expanding the lineup from two to five tokens.

"Clients will have more choices to build a digital asset allocation alongside the investing and banking experience they know and trust at Schwab," Joe Vietri, Head of Digital Assets at Charles Schwab, said.

The expansion, announced Aug. 27, follows Schwab's May 2026 rollout of direct spot crypto trading, which initially supported only Bitcoin and Ethereum. Schwab Crypto charges 75 basis points on the dollar value of each trade with zero spread, and clients can view crypto alongside traditional investments across Schwab.com, Schwab Mobile and thinkorswim. Schwab clients already represent approximately 20 percent of the spot crypto ETP market, according to the company's 2025 annual report.

The additions put Schwab in a stronger position to compete with crypto-native exchanges as the brokerage plans in-kind deposits and withdrawals, which would let customers transfer existing crypto holdings onto the platform without selling and repurchasing. The company, which oversees $13 trillion in assets, said it will continue expanding the digital asset lineup over time.

The three new tokens span different segments of the crypto market. Solana and Avalanche are Layer 1 smart-contract networks, while Chainlink provides decentralized oracle infrastructure. Schwab said it selected the assets based on client demand and established ecosystems rather than moving into a long catalog of smaller tokens.

The fee structure reveals who the product is built for. A $10,000 transaction generates a $75 trading fee at the stated rate. For an occasional investor establishing or adjusting a longer-term allocation, the convenience of consolidated portfolio management may offset that cost. Frequent traders are likely to compare it more closely with crypto-native venues that offer lower fees.

Custody for Schwab Crypto is held by Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB, with Paxos serving as sub-custodian and providing trade execution services. The company said it may appoint additional sub-custodians over time. Cryptocurrency offered through Schwab Crypto is not a bank deposit, is not FDIC insured and is not protected by SIPC.

The in-kind transfer capability, once live, would change the competitive equation. Without transfers, a customer wanting to move an existing crypto position to Schwab would need to sell it elsewhere and repurchase it through the new account, introducing trading costs and potential tax consequences. Direct transfers remove much of that friction and make Schwab a more realistic destination for existing crypto wealth rather than only newly purchased assets.

The platform is available in all U.S. states except New York and Louisiana. Schwab reserves the right to delay, modify or withdraw support for announced assets based on market, regulatory, operational or risk-related developments.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.