Interactive Brokers Crypto: providers, fees, transfers and account limits

Interactive Brokers integrates crypto into its broader investment platform, with execution and custody supplied by specialist providers. A common login simplifies portfolio access, but the coin account remains legally and operationally distinct from securities held at the broker. The applicable provider is central to understanding which assets, transfer methods and protections are available.[1]

The October 2026 launch materials advertise 20 supported digital assets across the offering; actual access remains account-specific.[14]

July’s expansion separately identified nine additions through zerohash and three through Paxos. Trading availability and external-wallet transfer eligibility must be checked separately.[12]

The desktop workflow lets a trader select the crypto instrument and provider, enter the order, then preview or save it before submission. A saved ticket is different from a transmitted order. The mobile workflow likewise separates the preview from submission and exposes modification through Transactions. This distinction matters when switching devices: check the live order status before submitting a replacement.[9][8]

The providers initially charge 18 basis points with the stated minimum; IBKR rebates part of its referral fee to deliver the volume tiers and 1% cap. At the lowest volume tier, illustrative orders of USD 100, USD 500 and USD 1,000 therefore cost USD 1.00, USD 1.75 and USD 1.80 respectively. These are commission calculations, excluding market spread, price changes and transfer costs.[2]

IBKR says it adds no spread or markup to this spot service. That describes the broker’s pricing overlay; an executable purchase price and sale price can still differ. The amount received after a round trip depends on those market prices as well as the two commissions. An account-level monthly charge also remains relevant when no trade occurs.[1]

For illustration, a constant USD 10,000 average crypto balance under the Hong Kong custody tariff implies USD 8 for a month, before trading charges. This figure should not be transferred to a Paxos or zerohash account. Conversely, the main site’s low commission range does not describe the local Hong Kong contract.[20][19]

The stablecoin deposit page names Ethereum, Solana and Base as network choices. It publishes zerohash’s marginal conversion charges: 0.35% on the first USD 5,000, 0.20% on the next USD 15,000 and 0.10% above USD 20,000, plus blockchain fees. IBKR itself states no deposit fee. A USD 25,000 example gives USD 17.50 + USD 30 + USD 5 = USD 52.50 before network costs.[10]

The older landing-page wording still describes USDC and future additions, whereas the July and October announcements describe three supported stablecoins. The broader launch statement is recorded here, while network and coin availability must be taken from the account’s current deposit instructions. The deposit page does not establish that its fee tiers also apply to withdrawals.[10][12]

The coin-deposit guide describes completion after network confirmations, often within minutes. This is an indicative process description, not a guaranteed crediting deadline. Its five-asset list is narrower than the trading catalogue. Use a freshly generated instruction for the selected coin and account; neither an old address nor a similarly named token proves compatibility.[5]

For the Paxos route, the September disclosure places the crypto account in the customer’s name at Paxos, whose ledger records the holdings. The coins are outside the IBKR securities account and lack FDIC or SIPC protection. The UK version additionally excludes FSCS coverage. Viewing both accounts together does not combine their insolvency protections.[15][21]

Staking introduces an additional operational state beyond a freely tradable balance. A requested unstake and a completed release are different events. The launch announcement establishes access and the reward-crediting model, but does not provide a verified reward rate, universal release time or complete charge schedule. Those account terms must be read before committing ETH; no annual yield is assumed in this profile.[14]

The withdrawal guide explicitly says transfers to an incorrect blockchain address cannot be reversed. It does not publish a universal password-reset withdrawal hold or a blanket allowlist timetable. Those details should be confirmed in the provider account when relevant, rather than inferred from the use of two-factor authentication.[6]

Crypto permission is an additional approval. In Client Portal, the account holder requests cryptocurrency access in Trading Permissions, reviews the provider agreement and signs the disclosures. IBKR uses financial information, objectives and experience when considering approval, but does not disclose a universal set of numerical qualification thresholds. A brokerage account opening therefore does not itself guarantee crypto access.[3]

The position thresholds concern opening new crypto positions. They should not be rewritten as a promise that every account can buy USD 3 million, or as an automatic liquidation rule after market prices change. Existing assets, the combined account equity and applicable approval all affect the usable amount. No account-specific entitlement was tested.[9]

Existing clients use the secure Message Center for formal written enquiries; ordinary inbound commercial email is not supported. The page gives a general 24-hour response expectation during normal operations, not a tested service-level guarantee. For an urgent access problem, distinguish the brokerage login, provider account and blockchain transfer so support can identify the affected service.[23]

The Paxos disclosure provides a best-efforts web fallback to reduce or close positions when IBKR trading is unavailable. Purchases there require a designated and fully funded Paxos payment account, including commission. This is a specific contingency route, not evidence that a support agent can execute orders by telephone.[15]

IBKR publishes daily regional reset windows and separate Saturday maintenance. It warns that login or order management may be interrupted, with execution reports and simulated-order processing delayed. The stated window is not necessarily a full-system outage for its entire duration. Consult the status page and the actual provider order state before sending a duplicate instruction.[24]

The OCC letter concerns the conversion of Paxos itself. Other Paxos group approvals for stablecoin issuance or securities settlement concern different legal entities and activities. Similarly, NYDFS distinguishes a virtual-currency licence from money transmission. Keeping those scopes separate avoids turning a provider’s regulatory record into a worldwide permission to serve every IBKR account.[17][16][18]

Interactive Brokers traces its brokerage history to the 1970s and introduced crypto through Paxos in 2021. The group’s overall brokerage reach is distinct from active crypto users or coin-exchange volume. No comparable standalone crypto user count or spot-volume ranking was established in the reviewed materials. This profile covers the integrated customer service rather than treating the group’s total trading activity as crypto flow.[26]

Operator

Interactive Brokers LLC and relevant regional affiliates; execution and custody through designated crypto providers

Exchange model

Centralised

Service scope

Broker-integrated spot crypto access. Paxos or zerohash execute and custody for eligible accounts; Hong Kong uses OSL. Staking is initially ETH through zerohash for eligible IBLLC clients.

Client types

Retail clients; Professional clients; Institutional clients

Pricing publication

Public pricing

Other names

IBKR Crypto

Headquarters

Greenwich, Connecticut, United States (Interactive Brokers LLC)

Pricing scope

Main Paxos/zerohash commissions 0.12%–0.18%, with minimum and cap; Paxos open-account pass-through USD 0.15 monthly. Hong Kong uses a separate tariff.

Funding scope

Brokerage cash, Crypto Plus provider USD balances, supported coin transfers and eligible stablecoin funding. Networks, assets and regional availability differ.

Custody and asset handling

Crypto sits with the designated provider outside the IBKR securities account. Paxos holdings lack FDIC/SIPC protection; the UK disclosure also excludes FSCS coverage.

Client eligibility

Depends on IBKR affiliate, legal residence, account type, financial profile and separate crypto permission. Product availability and provider cannot be inferred from a general brokerage account.

Support

Client Portal Message Center, live chat and regional telephone routes on the official support page. Login or security-device issues require telephone identity verification.

Authorisation and registration scope

Brokerage regulation and crypto-provider regulation are distinct. Paxos currently identifies as an OCC-regulated national trust bank; NYDFS lists zerohash entities. Hong Kong uses the local IBKR/OSL route. These permissions do not extend securities protection to coins.

Exchange metadata checked 21 Oct 2026Source 1Source 2Source 19Source 21Source 16Source 18Source 14

The reporting guide includes a Crypto Activity selector, date ranges from daily to annual and year-to-date, and PDF, CSV or HTML output. Its adviser workflow also supports account selection, consolidated summaries or separate account bundles. Flex Queries provide custom text or XML reports. These are reporting tools; they do not guarantee that every external wallet transfer arrives with complete acquisition-cost information.[22]

For record keeping, reconcile executed trades, commissions, provider cash movements, on-chain transfers and staking rewards separately before aggregating performance. A blockchain transfer between your own wallets and an executed sale are different events. Retaining transaction identifiers helps explain why a provider balance, brokerage statement and external wallet view may show different timing. This is an editorial reconciliation method, not a tax determination.[22][5]

Client Portal provides portfolio analysis, custom reporting and IBot FAQ assistance. Those broader tools do not establish a delegated AI mandate to trade crypto autonomously. The documented crypto API supplies explicit order parameters; any automation must stay within the approved account, provider and supported order combinations. Trading access should not be treated as permission to sign a provider withdrawal.[25][7]

An idle Paxos account still incurs the published open-account monthly charge.[2]

The disclosure directs clients seeking an independent Paxos account to the provider’s transfer terms. If IBKR ceases operations, Paxos says it will contact clients about transferring their holdings. This contingency is distinct from a customer’s routine brokerage-account closure.[15]