TLDR
- Fidelity now supports Solana trading on its crypto platforms for all clients.
- Solana ranks as the sixth-largest crypto with a market cap of $104 billion.
- Solana aims to become a hub for tokenized real-world assets like stocks.
- U.S. regulators support expanding trading hours to align with a 24/7 economy.
Fidelity, the financial services company, has announced that it will offer Solana (SOL) trading across its platforms. This includes Fidelity Crypto, Fidelity Crypto for IRAs, Fidelity Crypto for Wealth Managers, and Fidelity Digital Assets, which serves institutional investors. The integration of Solana’s native token into these platforms highlights the growing maturity of cryptocurrencies as an asset class.
Fidelity Expands Digital Asset Options for All Investors
Fidelity’s decision to add Solana is part of its long-standing commitment to developing a comprehensive digital asset infrastructure. With this move, both institutional and retail investors can now buy, sell, and trade Solana on the same platforms that previously offered traditional asset classes. According to a Fidelity spokesperson, this addition is a continuation of their decade-long effort to create digital asset solutions alongside traditional finance.
Solana, with a market capitalization of over $104 billion, ranks as the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, according to CoinMarketCap. This growing prominence is reflected in the widespread interest from developers and investors alike. Notably, key members of the Solana community believe the network has significant growth potential, with ambitions to position it as the backbone of internet capital markets.
Solana’s Vision to Revolutionize Tokenized Real-World Assets
Solana’s developers aim to transform the blockchain into a hub for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), such as stocks, money market funds, stablecoins, and collectibles. This vision aligns with the broader goal of democratizing access to finance, allowing greater liquidity to flow into traditionally illiquid asset classes. Recently, Solana made strides toward this goal with the launch of cross-chain interoperable versions of Tether’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, USDt, and Tether Gold, a tokenized gold product, in October.
These developments suggest that Solana could become a central piece of decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure. By hosting tokenized RWAs, Solana could provide deeper stablecoin liquidity, helping mitigate the risks of high volatility, depegging, and trade slippage that are common in the crypto market. This capability would make the network an essential component for traders seeking a more stable and efficient trading environment.
Regulatory Shifts and the Future of 24/7 Crypto Trading
Meanwhile, U.S. regulators have signaled a shift in their approach to the legacy financial system. In a joint statement from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), officials expressed support for a 24/7 trading schedule. This change would better align U.S. markets with the global, always-on economy.
The move to extend trading hours aligns with broader trends in the cryptocurrency market, where 24/7 trading has already become the norm. With Solana’s expanding capabilities, the blockchain could play a crucial role in bridging traditional finance with the fast-evolving world of digital assets. As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, the intersection of digital assets and traditional finance is becoming more seamless, and platforms like Fidelity are increasingly at the forefront of this transformation.
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