Lincoln is an investor and content marketer. He has worked for financial advisors, institutional investors, and a publicly-traded fintech company. Lincoln holds degrees in Finance, Economics, and Accounting.
Investing in crypto can be a great way to diversify your portfolio, but did you know you can save on taxes with a crypto IRA?
Crypto is considered an alternative asset, and while most IRAs only allow buying stocks, bonds, and funds, self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs) allow you to invest in other assets.
You can invest in crypto within a SDIRA, which can save you from a BIG tax bill each year.
There are several crypto IRA companies that help you quickly set up an SDIRA and invest in crypto, but not all of them are created equal.
We’ve looked at over a dozen crypto IRAs to find the best ones on the market, with low fees, great security, and easy-to-use trading tools.
Here is my breakdown of the 6 best crypto IRA providers in 2024:
The Best Crypto IRAs: The Breakdown
Platform | Fees/Pricing | # of Tokens | Minimum | |
#1 | – 0.99% – 3.99% setup fee – 2% trading fee – 0.08% maintenance fee ($20 minimum) | 60+ | $3,000 | |
#2 | – 1% for crypto trades – $50 over spot (per ounce) for Gold – $2.50 over spot (per ounce) for Silver | 30 | $1,000 | |
#3 | – 1% for crypto trades | 200+ | $10 | |
#4 | – $1 + .50% trading fee | 11 | $0 | |
#5 | – Varies by account | 15+ | $5,000 | |
#6 | – 1.25% trading fee (buy) – 1% trading fee (sell) – 2.25% trading fee (assisted trades) | 20 | $5,000 |
In my opinion, it really comes down to deciding between the top 3: Bitcoin IRA vs iTrustCapital vs Alto CryptoIRA.
Keep reading to find out which one is best for you…
The Best Crypto IRAs: The Details
1. Bitcoin IRA – The Best Crypto IRA Overall
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Account minimum: $3,000
- Tokens supported: 60+
- Fees/Pricing: 0.99% – 4.99% setup fee, 2% trading fee, 0.08% maintenance fee ($20 minimum)
- IRA options: Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401k
- Custodial type: BitGo Trust
Bitcoin IRA offers IRA accounts that allow you to invest in cryptocurrencies and physical gold, and make the onboarding process simple, especially when rolling over funds from an existing IRA or 401k account.
Bitcoin IRA offers 24/7 trading of over 60 cryptocurrencies as well as physical gold, and all assets are stored securely with insurance policies to protect your investments.
Bitcoin IRA charges higher fees than some competitors, including an onboarding fee and 2% trading fees.
But with excellent customer service, an intuitive mobile app, and more retirement account options than most other platforms, Bitcoin IRA is the leader in the space for a reason, and is the best Bitcoin IRA provider overall.
Best for: Bitcoin IRA is the best crypto IRA for long-term investors who want secure access to 60+ cryptocurrencies and precious metal investing in their retirement account.
2. iTrustCapital – The Best Low Fee Crypto IRA
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Account minimum: $1,000
- Tokens supported: 30
- Fees/Pricing: 1% trading fee
- IRA options: Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Rollover
- Custodial type: Coinbase
iTrustCapital is a self-directed IRA platform that allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrency as well as physical gold and silver.
It supports Traditional, Roth, SIMPLE, and SEP IRAs, as well as the ability to rollover an old 401k or IRA.
There are currently 30 cryptocurrencies available to invest in, as well as physical gold and silver.
Fees are low, too, with no account setup fees and a flat 1% trading fee for crypto trade. Fees on Gold and Silver trading are a bit higher than other marketplaces, though.
Best for: iTrustCapital is the best crypto IRA for investors that want access to crypto trading with low fees, as well as access to silver and gold investments.
iTrustCapital is not available in Hawaii or New York.
3. Alto CryptoIRA – The Best Crypto IRA for Low Minimums
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Account minimum: $10
- Tokens supported: 200+
- Fees/Pricing: 1% trading fee
- IRA options: Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE
- Custodial type: Coinbase
Alto CryptoIRA offers personal and small business IRAs with low minimums and a flat 1% trading fee.
With over 200 cryptocurrencies available, it has the best selection of any crypto IRA on the market due to its partnership with Coinbase.
Alto CryptoIRA requires just $10 to open an account, while most other platforms require $1,000 (or more).
But while the crypto selection is huge, there is no access to other alternative investments, such as precious metals. For a complete overview of its features, check out our Alto CryptoIRA review.
Best for: Alto CryptoIRA is the best crypto IRA for crypto investors that want an IRA with a low minimum, low fees, the largest crypto selection, and don’t care about precious metals.
4. TradeStation – The Best Brokerage Crypto IRA
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Account minimum: $0
- Tokens supported: 10+
- Fees/Pricing: $1 + .50% trading fee
- IRA options: Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Rollover
- Custodial type: BitGo Trust
TradeStation is a popular advanced trading platform that also offers crypto IRA accounts for investors.
TradeStation is known for its detailed charting, deep research, and low trading fees, as well as an advanced mobile app for trading on-the-go.
TradeStation only supports 11 cryptocurrencies at this time, but also lets you buy USDC with no fees at all.
And TradeStation crypto IRA accounts also let you trade stocks and options as well. There is no access to other alternative investments in this IRA account.
Tradestation only charges a 0.50% trading fee + a $1 transaction fee, which can be lower than competitors. But if you’re trading small amounts, a $1 fee can quickly eat into your profits, so it is best to place larger trades to see any savings on fees.
Best for: TradeStation is the best crypto IRA for advanced crypto traders and active stock and option traders.
5. BitIRA
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Account minimum: $5,000
- Tokens supported: 15+
- Fees/Pricing: Varies by account
- IRA options: Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Rollover
- Custodial type: Equity Trust Company and Preferred Trust Company
BitIRA offers a secure way to invest in 15+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
BitIRA is known for its security, holding all client assets in cold storage with an insurance policy to cover losses due to theft or hacks.
BitIRA isn’t an active trading platform, as all trade must be routed to a “Digital Currency Specialist” and the trade is executed the next business day.
And while there are no listed trading fees, there are setup and custodial fees, which vary by account.
Best for: BitIRA is the best crypto IRA for long-term investors that want an expecially secure crypto IRA account.
6. Coin IRA
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Account minimum: $5,000
- Tokens supported: 20
- Fees/Pricing: 1.25% trading fee (buy), 1% trading fee (sell), 2.25% trading fee (assisted trades)
- IRA options: Traditional
- Custodial type: Equity Trust Company
Coin IRA is a simple crypto IRA account that offers 24/7 trading of 20 different cryptocurrencies. There are no account setup or maintenance fees, and trades are a simple flat fee for buying or selling.
Coin IRA is a trading platform that allows you to buy and sell crypto, and digital assets are held in cold storage with insurance against theft and other losses.
CoinIRA also has a good-sized educational library of articles and definitions to help new crypto investors learn more about the asset class.
Best for: Coin IRA is the best crypto IRA for new crypto traders that want to learn about crypto and who want to pay no setup fees to begin trading.
What are Crypto IRAs?
Crypto IRAs are self-directed retirement accounts (SDIRAs) that allow you to invest in cryptocurrencies and other alternative investments in a tax-advantaged account.
Crypto IRA companies help you jump through the legal hoops needed to set up an SDIRA account and provide platforms that allow you to trade crypto within a tax-advantaged IRA.
How Do Crypto IRAs Work?
Crypto IRA accounts are set up in compliance with U.S. regulations, allowing you to legally invest in crypto while saving on taxes.
All crypto IRA companies work with third-party custodians to store digital assets and accounts are subject to standard laws surrounding retirement accounts.
You can open a crypto IRA account and deposit up to the maximum allowed per year (currently $6,500, or $7,500 if age 50 or older).
You can buy and sell crypto within the account, but cannot withdraw funds (without penalty) until retirement age (currently age 59.5).
Some crypto IRA companies also offer rolling over assets from other retirement accounts (such as a 401k or other IRA), but are required to convert assets to cash. And most allow you to transfer crypto assets from one crypto IRA to another.
What are the Benefits of Using a Crypto IRA?
Buying and selling crypto in ordinary accounts will create taxable events and can lead to extremely high tax bills.
When assets are bought and sold in an IRA account, there are no taxes that need to be paid on gains until you withdraw.
And instead of paying short-term (or long-term) capital gains taxes (which can be 35% or more), you will instead pay your federal income tax rate at the time of withdrawal.
Additionally, crypto IRA accounts encourage long-term investing in high-quality crypto assets.
This helps you build more diversification into your retirement portfolio which can spread your risk across multiple asset classes and may increase the likelihood of a large retirement portfolio.
Final Word: The Best Crypto IRA (iTrustCapital vs Alto vs Bitcoin IRA)
All 3 crypto IRA companies are worthy choices for investing in crypto inside a retirement account.
iTrustCapital offers a low minimum to join and a flat 1% trading fee, as well as access to gold and silver investing. It is a great low-cost option for investing in alternative assets within an IRA.
Bitcoin IRA is the leader in the crypto IRA space, with over 60 digital assets, access to gold investing, as well-designed mobile app, and a partnership with the world’s leading crypto custodian (BitGo Trust).
But the setup fees are high, and trades cost more than competitors. It’s ideal for clients that want more hand holding when setting up or rolling over other assets, and for long-term investors.
Alto CryptoIRA partnered with Coinbase to give users access to 200+ cryptocurrencies and low trading fees, but its mobile app has terrible ratings, and it doesn’t offer SIMPLE IRAs.
If you want to trade a wide range of crypto inside an IRA, Alto is the best choice.
Choosing the best crypto IRA account depends on your goals and the type of IRA you want to open, but any of these 3 top crypto IRAs are rock solid.
FAQs:
Which IRA is best for crypto?
The best IRA for crypto is Bitcoin IRA, which offers a great selection and excellent customer service, but fees are on the higher end. If you’d like a low-free option, iTrustCapital is your best bet.
Is crypto IRA a good idea?
Opening a crypto IRA can be a good idea if you have an investment plan that involves a long-term investment in cryptocurrency.
Crypto IRAs can reduce your tax bills, but you cannot withdraw your funds penalty free until retirement age.
If investing in cryptocurrency is part of your retirement plan, it’s a good idea to use a crypto IRA.
Which crypto IRA has the lowest fees?
TradeStation has the lowest fees for a crypto IRA account, with fees as low as $1 + 0.50% per trade. For traders that place larger orders, this can be well below 1% per trade. TradeStation is a more advanced trading platform that offers stock and options trading as well.
For more traditional crypto IRA accounts, both iTrustCapital and Alto CryptoIRA offer a flat 1% trading fee for all crypto trades.
Is there an IRA for crypto?
Yes, cryptocurrency can be purchased within an IRA account, but it needs to be set up by a custodian. Crypto IRA companies help you set up a self-directed IRA (SDIRA), which allows you to own alternative assets within a retirement account. In addition to crypto, some crypto IRA companies allow you to invest in other assets, such as physical gold and silver.
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