Interactive Brokers now allows clients to transfer supported cryptocurrencies from external wallets to IBKR accounts without selling first, expanding its low-fee, multi-asset platform push.
Summary
- Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) announced on March 25 that clients can transfer supported cryptocurrencies from external wallets directly to their IBKR-linked crypto accounts without first liquidating their positions.
- The feature covers Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and other supported assets, with custody handled via Paxos or zerohash, and fees ranging from 0.12% to 0.18% of trading value, significantly below the industry norm of up to 2.00%.
- The move follows IBKR’s January launch of 24/7 stable account funding and deepens its push to position itself as a one-stop destination for traditional and digital asset management.
Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) on Wednesday launched a crypto portfolio transfer feature, allowing clients to move existing digital asset holdings from external wallets or platforms directly to their IBKR-linked crypto accounts, without selling first. According to a BusinessWire press release, eligible clients of Interactive Brokers LLC and Interactive Brokers (UK) Limited can now transfer solariumSupport Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies directly into accounts held on Paxos or zerohash, and manage them along with stocks, options, futures, forex and bonds from a single interface.
CEO Milan Galik framed the announcement as a direct response to friction in the cryptocurrency trading experience. “Cryptocurrency investors should be able to access competitive crypto prices and diversified investment opportunities without managing multiple accounts or liquidating their positions,” Galik said. “By enabling direct crypto wallet transfers, we make it easy for traders to benefit from IBKR’s low-cost crypto trading and gain access to our full range of global markets within the same professional trading environment.”
The price angle is central to IBKR’s speech. The brokerage charges commissions of 0.12% to 0.18% of the trade value (with a minimum of $1.75 per order and no additional spreads or margins) compared to fees of up to 2.00% or more on many retail crypto platforms, often with additional costs built in. In a previous crypto.news historyIBKR launched 24/7 stable account funding in January, allowing clients to deposit USDC and convert it to USD almost instantly via zerohash, replacing cross-border transfers that typically take one to three business days and carry fees of $25 to $50 per transaction.
Wednesday’s article is part of a larger, more deliberate development. IBKR began offering cryptocurrency trading in 2021 with Bitcoin and Ethereum, before adding Solana, XRP, and other tokens in the following years. In February 2026, the brokerage expanded further, adding Coinbase Derivatives perpetual-style futures contracts to its platform. Cryptocurrency custody is handled through two regulated partners: Paxos Trust Company, overseen by the New York Department of Financial Services, and zerohash, a FinCEN-registered money services business with a NYDFS BitLicense.
The move puts IBKR in increasingly direct competition with crypto-native exchanges for active traders, particularly those who want to access traditional markets alongside digital assets. That pressure comes from both sides: a previous crypto.news history noted that Morgan Stanley plans to offer cryptocurrency trading on E-Trade in 2026, indicating that legacy brokerages are collectively accelerating their digital asset integrations.
Interactive Brokers serves individual investors, hedge funds, proprietary trading groups, financial advisors and introducing brokers in over 170 markets worldwide. The group is a member of the S&P 500. The company has long differentiated itself with its low costs and broad market access, and the portfolio transfer feature extends that model to users who currently hold cryptocurrencies elsewhere but want lower trading costs and integrated access to traditional markets, without the tax and time complications of liquidating to move.
“Perpetual-style crypto futures have become popular among traders because they provide long-term exposure and greater flexibility,” Galik said at the February launch of Coinbase derivatives contracts. The portfolio transfer feature now means those same traders can bring their existing cryptocurrency holdings to the platform in a single step. Like previous crypto.news history As noted, the stablecoin-funded account initiative earlier this year already signaled a company that views crypto infrastructure not as an add-on, but as a core part of its long-term platform strategy.
