Key Highlights
- SoFi has become the first chartered bank to provide a crypto trading service through its platform
- Users will be allowed to make crypto investments directly through their SoFi bank accounts, though this investment will not be FDIC-insured
- This announcement comes while many major banks like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs are preparing to introduce crypto services in the upcoming months
On November 11, SoFi, a finance company, rolled out early access for crypto on the platform. With this announcement, SoFi has become the first chartered bank where individuals can buy, sell, and hold crypto.
It’s the post we’ve all been waiting for: Early access for crypto at SoFi starts today 🙌
Be one of the first to experience a new era of personal finance by joining the waitlist before 11/30/25: https://t.co/0nShJOBRss pic.twitter.com/ge4PGc7Twr
— SoFi (@SoFi) November 11, 2025
This announcement has sparked a euphoria in the crypto community, which is currently going through uncertainty.
“Access cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana—on a federally regulated platform with the safeguards of a bank. All in the same app as the rest of your finances,” stated on the official website.
SoFi Becomes First Chartered Bank to Offer Direct Crypto Trading
The digital bank SoFi has launched a full-service cryptocurrency trading platform. This makes the platform the only nationally chartered and FDIC-insured bank in the country where customers can directly buy, sell, and hold digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
According to the official website, the phased rollout began on November 10. The service is being rolled out in phases, starting with a group of members immediately. After that, the service will be available to all users in the upcoming weeks.
SoFi has integrated this crypto trading directly into the company’s all-in-one banking app. Members can manage their cryptocurrency investments alongside their traditional checking and savings accounts, loans, and stock portfolios.
The digital bank is planning to make crypto investments simple and secure with easy accessibility. This will allow users to fund their crypto trades directly using money from their existing FDIC-insured SoFi bank accounts. Note that the bank clarified that
This will make the process of transferring money to an external exchange. Not just this, the application will include educational guides. The platform operates under the compliance of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) with the security standards of a national bank.
“Today marks a pivotal moment when banking meets crypto in one app, on a trusted platform, and driven by our core mission to help our members get their money right,” said Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi. “I believe blockchain technology will fundamentally change EVERY way finance is done throughout the world by making money movement faster, cheaper, and safer, while opening new ways for people to borrow better, invest better, spend and save better.”
“It’s critical to give our members a secure and regulated way to step into the future of money. As the first and only nationally chartered bank to launch crypto trading to consumers, we are uniquely positioned to drive this innovation and set a new standard built on security, stability, and transparency,” he said.
Major Banks and Financial Institutions Prepare to Introduce Crypto Services
JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States, plans to offer spot crypto trading for Bitcoin and Ether to its institutional clients by early 2026. The bank will also introduce crypto-backed loans and is exploring stablecoins.
Similarly, Goldman Sachs has relaunched its crypto trading desk and is working with BNY Mellon on tokenized funds. Other large banks, including PNC Bank, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Citigroup, are all piloting services ranging from crypto trading for retail investors to custody and stablecoin projects.
This crypto adoption among financial institutions has grown after pro-crypto President Donald Trump returned to White House in 2025. Under his administration, the cryptocurrency community has received clear regulatory guidelines from the government.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued clear guidelines, which authorized national banks to hold crypto assets, manage stablecoin reserves, and operate blockchain nodes. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) provided banks with a framework for working with third-party crypto custodians. The Federal Reserve has also integrated crypto regulations into its standard supervisory programs.
Apart from this, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) removed a controversial accounting rule that had made it difficult for banks to custody crypto.
