Our experts answer readers’ investing questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess investing products). Paid non-client promotion: In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners. Our opinions are always our own.
The topic of crypto and retirement investing has become a popular one, especially as brokerages like Fidelity have chosen to offer bitcoin as a 401(k) investment choice. However, several companies also offer crypto trading through self-directed IRAs. These companies also provide custodial services, storage options, and in some cases 24/7 trading access.
The Best Bitcoin IRAs of 2023
Bitcoin IRAs can be an alluring investment option for those who want to avoid capital gains taxes while building wealth. Without an IRA, you’d be subject to capital gains taxes for regular crypto transactions. But self-directed IRAs eliminate those extra costs (or at least defer them).
The Best Bitcoin IRAs
Fees
3.99% one-time fee; 2% trading fee $100/month Saver IRA Balances under $25,000: $20/month; balances over $25,000: 0.0008%
Investment Types
Cryptocurrencies and gold
Fees
3.99% one-time fee; 2% trading fee $100/month Saver IRA Balances under $25,000: $20/month; balances over $25,000: 0.0008%
Investment Types
Cryptocurrencies and gold
Bitcoin IRA
Details
Fees
3.99% one-time fee; 2% trading fee $100/month Saver IRA Balances under $25,000: $20/month; balances over $25,000: 0.0008%
Fees
$50 account setup, $195 annual maintenance; 0.05%/month offline storage
Investment Types
Cryptocurrencies
Fees
$50 account setup, $195 annual maintenance; 0.05%/month offline storage
Investment Types
Cryptocurrencies
BitIRA
Details
Fees
$50 account setup, $195 annual maintenance; 0.05%/month offline storage
Account Minimum
$10 cryptocurrencies
Fees
Alto CryptoIRA: 1% per crypto transaction, $50 account closure fee, and $25 for outbound wire transfers; Alto IRA: $10/month account fee or $100/year (with two months free), $10 partner investment fee, $50 account closure fee, and $25 outbound wire transfer fee
Investment Types
Venture capital, real estate, startups, farmland, cryptocurrencies, private companies, and precious metals
Account Minimum
$10 cryptocurrencies
Fees
Alto CryptoIRA: 1% per crypto transaction, $50 account closure fee, and $25 for outbound wire transfers; Alto IRA: $10/month account fee or $100/year (with two months free), $10 partner investment fee, $50 account closure fee, and $25 outbound wire transfer fee
Investment Types
Venture capital, real estate, startups, farmland, cryptocurrencies, private companies, and precious metals
Alto IRA account
Details
Account Minimum
$10 cryptocurrencies
Fees
Alto CryptoIRA: 1% per crypto transaction, $50 account closure fee, and $25 for outbound wire transfers; Alto IRA: $10/month account fee or $100/year (with two months free), $10 partner investment fee, $50 account closure fee, and $25 outbound wire transfer fee
Fees
1.25% buy trades; 1% sell trades
Account Types
Individual accounts; IRAs
Fees
1.25% buy trades; 1% sell trades
Account Types
Individual accounts; IRAs
CoinIRA
Details
Fees
1.25% buy trades; 1% sell trades
Account Types
Individual accounts; IRAs
Account Minimum
$1,000 ($500 minimum additional contribution)
Investment Types
Cryptocurrencies and precious metals
Account Minimum
$1,000 ($500 minimum additional contribution)
Investment Types
Cryptocurrencies and precious metals
On iTrustCapital’s website
iTrustCapital
Details
Account Minimum
$1,000 ($500 minimum additional contribution)
Fees
2.5% purchase transaction fee/1.0% sell transaction fee; 0.5% monthly storage fee crypto IRAs
Fees
2.5% purchase transaction fee/1.0% sell transaction fee; 0.5% monthly storage fee crypto IRAs
BlockMint
Details
Fees
2.5% purchase transaction fee/1.0% sell transaction fee; 0.5% monthly storage fee crypto IRAs
Fees
$1,295 account setup; $95/quarter custodial
Fees
$1,295 account setup; $95/quarter custodial
On Broad Financial’s website
Broad Financial
Details
Fees
$1,295 account setup; $95/quarter custodial
Methodology: How We Determined the Best Bitcoin IRAs
We researched numerous bitcoin IRAs to find the best options for cryptocurrency selection, fees, security, features, and more.
On the fee side of things, we paid closed attention to account minimums and account setup fees/advisory fees. We also considered customer service availability when narrowing down platforms.
See our full methodology for rating investing platforms »
Best Bitcoin IRAs Frequently Asked Questions
Bitcoin IRA companies act as custodians for investors who want to diversify their retirement accounts with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, dogecoin, or others. You can only invest in cryptocurrencies with self-directed IRAs.
You can have a self-directed IRA that mimics the tax structure of a traditional or Roth IRA, but unlike traditional and Roth IRAs, these accounts give you greater authority over which investments go into your retirement account. They also allow you to invest in alternative assets like precious metals, real estate, and cryptocurrencies.
In addition, law requires that all SDIRAs have a certified custodian that manages the account. For instance, BitIRA acts as the account’s custodian, executes all crypto transactions, and provides secure storage for your assets.
Bitcoin IRAs are simply self-directed IRAs that investors fund with cryptocurrencies. And traditional crypto IRAs and Roth IRAs generally have the same tax rules as the standard IRAs do. With a traditional crypto IRA, the investments you make are tax-deductible, and you’ll only pay taxes once you reach the withdrawal age (591/2). Note, however, that you’ll incur a tax penalty if you try to make withdrawals before age 591/2.
Like the regular Roth IRAs, Roth crypto IRAs also let you pay taxes upfront, make premature withdrawals without tax penalties, and withdraw your earnings tax-free once you’ve reached age 591/2.
This question is primarily in your hands. Bitcoin IRAs are simply self-directed IRAs that offer access to a range of alternative assets like real estate, precious metals, or cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin or ethereum.
These accounts are also available in traditional or Roth form (and they’ve also got a $6,000 contribution limit for those under age 50 and $7,000 limit for those above that age), but it’s important to examine the unique risks of cryptocurrency investing before you take this route.
One thing to remember is that you can’t fund these accounts with existing crypto assets; that is, you’ve got to purchase new crypto shares with US dollars after you’ve set up the account. Another thing to keep in mind is that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are usually a lot more volatile than most mutual funds and other traditional retirement funds.
For this reason, it’s best to exercise caution if you’re considering taking the crypto IRA route.Â
Best Bitcoin IRA Overall
Bitcoin IRA
Why it stands out: Bitcoin IRA supports 24/7 trading of more than 60 cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin, stellar lumens, zcash, bitcoin cash, ethereum classic, and digital gold. You’ll need a minimum of $3,000 to get started, and the platform lets you invest in one coin or a blend of multiple coins.
There’s a one-time service fee, which Bitcoin IRA says covers support services for retirement fund rollovers (Bitcoin IRA lets you rollover funds from traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 403bs or 401(k)s), security storage, and setup costs for a self-directed IRA with BitGo Trust.
When it comes to crypto storage, Bitcoin IRA stores your assets with BitGo Trust. The custody includes up to $700 million in insurance and complete offline storage.
What to look out for:Â Fees and pricing aren’t straightforward. You’ll need to reach out to a company representative for more information since some fees vary based on your balance.Â
Bitcoin IRA Review
Best Bitcoin IRA for Account Security
BitIRA
Why it stands out: BitIRAis another popular IRA option for investors looking to add bitcoin and other virtual assets to their retirement accounts. Its custodian, Equity Trust Company, handles all of the administrative duties of the account, while simultaneously giving you complete control over your assets.Â
BitIRA supports several cryptocurrencies. These include bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ethereum classic, litecoin, zcash, stellar lumens, bitcoin sv, and more. You’ll need at least $5,000 to get started, and you’ll incur a $195 annual maintenance fee and 0.05% fee for crypto storage.
BitIRA also heavily prioritizes security. The company only lets you access your crypto assets through multi-factor authentication, and it relies on offline cold storage to protect your assets. In addition, BitIRA provides $100 million in custody insurance to shield you against theft, destruction, or loss.
What to look out for:Â In addition to the $5,000 minimum requirement, you’ll run into three other fees: a $50 setup fee, $195 annual maintenance fee, and 0.05% crypto storage fee.
Best Bitcoin IRA Investment Selection
Alto IRA account
Why it stands out: Alto IRAÂ offers low fees and access to numerous alternative investments, including fine art, startups, real estate, cryptocurrencies, private equity, and more. The company also partners with Coinbase to provide more than 200 cryptocurrencies, and it utilizes both hot and cold storage.
In addition, the platform gives you access to commercial crime policy insurance coverage of $320 million and $3 million in cyber crime coverage.
What to look out for:Â Some of Alto IRA’s investments are reserved for accredited investors, and it doesn’t offer SIMPLE IRAs.Â
Alto IRA Review
Best Bitcoin IRA for Expert Assistance
CoinIRA
Why it stands out: CoinIRAÂ offers several resources for investors interested in including cryptocurrencies in their IRAs. These include consultants who can assist you with any crypto-related questions and a free cryptocurrency IRA guide that tells you everything you need to know about tax benefits, crypto retirement savings, inflation hedging, and more.
As for its investment offerings, CoinIRA supports bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin, and 17 other cryptocurrencies. The company also has no maximum purchase limits on cryptocurrencies, and it offers individual accounts, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs.
Another perk is that CoinIRA charges no fees for insured offline crypto storage. It currently uses Equity Trust Company as its custodian for customer assets. You will encounter fees when trading. Buy transactions result in a 1.25% fee, and sell transactions cost you 1%. See more on its fees here.
What to look out for:Â CoinIRA previously offered multiple wallet options, but now it mainly relies on Equity Trust Company’s offline storage methods.
Best Bitcoin IRA for Low Fees
iTrustCapital
Why it stands out: iTrustCapital offers more than 25 cryptocurrencies for traders interested in crypto IRA investing. Among these are assets like bitcoin, ethereum, cardano, dogecoin, polkadot, litecoin, and others (you can see a complete list here).
The platform also offers gold and silver for precious metals traders. You can fund your account using an array of methods, including IRA transfers (iTrustCapital supports traditional, Roth, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs), employer plan rollovers (available for 401(k)s, 403(b)s, thrift savings plans, and 457 plans).
iTrustCapital also partners with Coinbase Custody to provide a $320 insurance policy.Â
What to look out for:Â Keep in mind that you can’t fund your IRA with crypto assets you already own. You’ll only be able to do so with US dollars. In addition, iTrustCapital isn’t available to New York or Hawaii residents.Â
iTrustCapital Review
Best Bitcoin IRA for Beginners
BlockMint
Why it stands out: BlockMint supports bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin, bitcoin cash, and ethereum classic. Though the IRA includes a higher account minimum, the company makes up for it with its approach to customer service. After you open an account, BlockMint pairs you with a professional who guides you through the investment process and offers ongoing support.
The company’s security measures are also worth pointing out. BlockMint says it stores your crypto assets in two separate vaults that are guarded 24/7.
You can only fund your account by transferring or rolling over funds from the following accounts: traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s, thrift savings plans, or TIAA CREF plans.
What to look out for: BlockMint says it only conducts crypto and digital currency transactions during normal business hours. If you’re looking for 24/7 access to your favorite cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to consider other options.
Best Bitcoin IRA for Account Flexibility
Broad Financial
Why it stands out:Â One thing that sets Broad Financial apart from the other IRA providers is that its bitcoin IRA is a Checkbook IRA LLC. Checkbook IRA LLCs give you complete control over your crypto, allowing you to choose any cryptocurrency, crypto exchange, or crypto wallet you want.
The IRA has no account minimums, and it’s available as both a traditional IRA or Roth IRA (this means you can contribute with pre-tax or post-tax dollars). The only two fees to keep in mind is Broad Financial‘s $1,295 account setup fee and $95 quarterly custodial fee.
What to look out for:Â Even though there aren’t any account minimum requirements, keep in mind that you’ll need $1,295 up front when setting up the IRA.
Other Bitcoin IRAs We Considered
- Rocket Dollar: This company offers both self-directed IRAs and solo 401(k)s. Its platform is also easy to navigate, and it gives you a wide range of investment options. Its setup fees — $360 or $600 — may be high for some.
- Regal Assets: Regal Assets offers an expansive investment selection of assets, including cryptocurrencies and precious metals. You’ll need a minimum of 5,000 to get started.
- Equity Trust: This company offers a range of assets, including real estate investments, precious metals, cryptocurrencies, stocks, and more. It also allows you to take advantage of both Equity Trust’s custody and crypto offerings along with expertise from other platforms like BitIRA. One of the drawbacks is that the platform doesn’t offer much fee transparency.
