SoFi First US Bank for SOL Deposits
SoFi has become the first U.S. national bank to allow direct on-chain deposits of Solana (SOL). The move marks a significant milestone in bridging traditional banking with decentralized finance, pushing the boundaries of fintech innovation within a regulated framework.
This move enables SoFi's 13.7 million members to transfer SOL directly from external wallets like Phantom into their federally regulated bank accounts. The integration goes beyond the brokerage-style crypto exposure previously offered by some banks, which only provided price exposure without actual on-chain transactions. SoFi now generates unique Solana deposit addresses for each user, allowing for direct settlement on the blockchain within a regulated banking environment. The selection of Solana is strategic, leveraging the network's capacity for high throughput and low transaction costs, which are crucial for retail-level transfers. Transactions on the Solana network typically confirm in seconds for a fraction of a dollar, a key advantage over slower, more expensive blockchain alternatives. This positions SoFi to handle frequent, smaller-value deposits efficiently. This offering marks a significant turnaround for SoFi, which had to shutter its previous crypto services in December 2023 to secure its national bank charter. The company's re-entry into the crypto space in November 2025 followed a crucial clarification from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the FDIC, which permitted nationally chartered banks to offer crypto custody and trading. As of the fourth quarter of 2025, SoFi reported having $50.7 billion in assets and total deposits nearing $38 billion. The company achieved a GAAP Net Income of $174 million in Q4 2025, marking its ninth consecutive quarter of profitability. CEO Anthony Noto has stated that he believes blockchain technology will fundamentally change finance by making money movement "faster, cheaper and safer."