Interactive Brokers will now be able to transfer supported cryptocurrencies from external wallets to IBKR accounts without first selling them, expanding its push for a low-fee, multi-asset platform.
summary
- Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) announced on March 25 that clients can transfer supported cryptocurrencies directly from external wallets to IBKR-linked crypto accounts without having to liquidate their positions.
- The feature covers Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other supported assets, with storage handled through Paxos or zerohash, and fees ranging from 0.12% to 0.18% of the transaction amount, well below the industry standard of up to 2.00%.
- The move follows IBKR’s launch of 24/7 stablecoin account funding in January and strengthens its push to position itself as a single destination for both traditional and digital asset management.
Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) on Wednesday launched a crypto portfolio transfer feature. This will allow customers to move their existing digital asset holdings directly from an external wallet or platform to an IBKR-linked crypto account without having to sell them first. According to a BusinessWire press release, eligible customers of Interactive Brokers LLC and Interactive Brokers (UK) Limited can now transfer Solana, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other supported cryptocurrencies directly into accounts held on Paxos or zerohash and manage them alongside stocks, options, futures, currencies, and bonds from a single interface.
CEO Milan Garik positioned the announcement as a direct response to frictions in the crypto trading experience. “Crypto investors should have access to competitive crypto pricing and diverse investment opportunities without having to manage multiple accounts or liquidate positions,” Garik said. “By enabling direct transfer of crypto portfolios, we allow traders to benefit from IBKR’s low-cost crypto trading and easily access our global markets within the same professional trading environment.”
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The pricing aspect is central to IBKR’s pitch. This brokerage charges a commission of 0.12% to 0.18% of the trade amount (with a minimum of $1.75 per order and no additional spreads or markups). In contrast, many retail cryptocurrency platforms charge fees of up to 2.00% or more and often include additional costs. In a previous crypto.news article, IBKR launched 24/7 stablecoin account funding in January, allowing customers to deposit USDC and convert it to USD almost instantly through Zerohash, replacing cross-border transfers that typically take 1-3 business days and incur fees of $25-50 per transaction.
Wednesday’s feature is part of a broader, intentional build-up. IBKR began offering cryptocurrency trading with Bitcoin and Ethereum in 2021 and added Solana, XRP, and other tokens in the following years. In February 2026, the brokerage further expanded and added Coinbase Derivatives perpetual-style futures contracts to its platform. Custody of cryptocurrencies will be handled through two regulated partners: Paxos Trust Company, which is supervised by the New York Department of Financial Services, and zerohash, a FinCEN-registered money services operator that has obtained a BitLicense from NYDFS.
This move puts IBKR in increasingly direct competition with crypto-native exchanges for active traders, especially those who want access to traditional markets alongside digital assets. That pressure is coming from both sides. A previous crypto.news article stated that Morgan Stanley plans to offer crypto trading on E-Trade in 2026, suggesting that traditional brokerages are jointly accelerating the integration of digital assets.
Interactive Brokers serves retail investors, hedge funds, proprietary trading groups, financial advisors, and introducing brokers across more than 170 markets worldwide. This group is a member of the S&P 500. The company has long differentiated itself with low costs and broad market access, and the portfolio transfer feature extends that model to users who currently hold cryptocurrencies elsewhere but want lower transaction costs and integrated access to traditional markets. This eliminates the tax and liquidation timing complexities associated with transfers.
“Perpetual-style crypto futures are becoming increasingly popular among traders because they offer long-term exposure and high flexibility,” Garik said at the launch of the Coinbase derivatives contract in February. The portfolio transfer feature means the same trader can bring their existing crypto assets to the platform in one step. As a previous crypto.news article noted, stablecoin-funded account efforts earlier this year were already indicative of companies viewing crypto infrastructure as a core part of their long-term platform strategy, rather than as a bolt-on.
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