In a move signaling growing mainstream acceptance of Solana (SOL), Fidelity Investments, a financial services company with $5.8 trillion in assets under management, has announced that it is now offering Solana directly to its brokerage clients. This decision allows both institutional and retail investors to buy, sell, and trade SOL on Fidelity's platform, placing Solana alongside established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

The addition of Solana to Fidelity's platform provides U.S. investors with regulated, direct access to SOL for the first time. Previously, Fidelity offered direct access to Bitcoin, Ether, and Litecoin. SOL is the first asset added to the fund’s limited direct sales of crypto. SOL will be available through the Fidelity Digital Assets platform, requiring a special crypto account. Fidelity offers custodial services, mostly used for BTC and ETH deposits. The fund holds over $43B in BTC, the most dominant asset in its custodial wallet.

This decision underscores the increasing demand for regulated access to alternative Layer-1 assets. The move comes shortly after Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) approved the first Solana spot ETF, issued by ChinaAMC, which is set to begin trading on October 27, positioning Hong Kong ahead of the United States in offering institutional routes to Solana exposure.

The United States, however, is facing delays in Solana ETF applications due to an ongoing government shutdown that has forced the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to pause all new product reviews. Despite this, industry analysts anticipate the review process to resume once the agency reopens, with major issuers like VanEck and Franklin Templeton already having filed for spot Solana ETFs.

Fidelity's integration of Solana arrives as global ETF momentum heats up, marking a significant step toward mainstream adoption. With Hong Kong's approval of a Solana ETF and Fidelity's integration, Solana is now one of the few crypto assets bridging both retail and institutional channels across continents.

The availability of SOL on Fidelity's platform grants brokerage users access to both trading and custody services. Fidelity treats SOL as other legacy assets and blue-chip tokens, offering a source of passive growth. It remains uncertain whether Fidelity will offer additional staking services.

Following the announcement, SOL experienced a recovery, reaching $190.23. The coin has become an in-demand asset due to its passive income potential and growing treasuries, with expectations of more ETFs being approved. The Solana chain has also maintained its position as a leading platform for applications, some of which generate substantial revenue through real economic activity.

Solana retains a high number of daily active users and has expanded its decentralized services in 2025, including lending, Perp DEX trading, and a successful meme token season. While SOL is easily accessible for U.S.-based traders, Fidelity offers the only account-based buying with included custody services.

Fidelity has been gradually opening its crypto services to a growing number of institutional clients, including pension fund companies. It is still unknown how much demand for SOL will come from retail investors.