Traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are a great way to provide future financial security. However, as world events continue to increase the volatility of global markets, some investors are looking to diversify their IRAs with alternative assets, including Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Since Bitcoin is a digital rather than tangible asset, cryptocurrency IRAs require specialized management, greater protection of sensitive data, and deep expertise in cryptocurrency trading. We researched nearly a dozen Bitcoin IRAs based on expertise, security, experience, fees, and more. Here are our top picks.
The Best Bitcoin IRA Companies for 2021
- Best Overall: Bitcoin IRA
- Best Rates and Fees: iTrustCapital
- Best Investor Experience: Coin IRA
- Best for Security: BitIRA
- Best for Self-Directed Investments: Equity Trust
- Best Variety of Cryptocurrency Supported: Regal Assets
Best Overall : Bitcoin IRA
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Bitcoin IRA
Bitcoin IRA is a full-service Bitcoin IRA provider offering 24/7 trading, secure cold storage for digital assets, and $100 million of insurance protection, making it our choice as the best overall.
Easy setup and trading
Secure offline digital asset storage
Digital assets insured up to $100 million
High setup and maintenance fees
Established in 2016, Bitcoin IRA is the first and largest cryptocurrency IRA company that lets individuals invest in cryptocurrency with their retirement accounts. The platform’s easy account setup and management, 24/7 real-time trading, and military-grade security features are why we chose it as the best Bitcoin IRA company overall.
Bitcoin IRA makes it easy to create an IRA account and digital wallet in just a few minutes using its app or web dashboard. Once funds are transferred to an account, users can begin trading within three to five days and can buy, sell, and trade online any time of day or night.
Bitcoin IRA supports trading nine types of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin. Although the minimum to open a standard account is $3,000, the company also offers a Saver IRA that requires an initial deposit of $100 with a recurring investment of $100 per month through a linked bank account.
Bitcoin IRA also takes security seriously. The platform offers 256-bit encrypted SSL trading, stores digital assets offline in separate cold storage accounts, and insures its digital assets up to $100 million.
Bitcoin IRA does not list fees on its site, but third-party sources indicate that the company charges a one-time fee of 10% to 15% of the initial investment, a $240 annual custodial account fee, a $75 asset conversion fee, a 5% buy fee, and a 1% sell platform fee.
Best Rates and Fees : iTrustCapital
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iTrustCapital
iTrustCapital makes it easy for both novice and expert investors to start a Bitcoin IRA with expert consultants and transparent pricing, making it our choice for the best rates and fees in Bitcoin IRAs.
Low account and trading fees
$1,000 minimum investment
24/7 trading
No financial advisors on staff
Founded in 2018, iTrustCapital lets individuals buy and trade cryptocurrencies and physical gold in real time through their retirement accounts. The company has the lowest service and trade fees we’ve come across, placing it in the top spot for best rates and fees.
iTrustCapital offers some of the most affordable trading and investing fees. While it’s not uncommon to pay up to 15% per transaction to trade cryptocurrencies, iTrustCapital charges just 1% per transaction. Clients also pay a reasonable $29.95 monthly service fee and are charged no initial purchase fees, broker fees, or scaling based on the size of their assets.
iTrustCapital allows clients to trade in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Stellar, Polkadot, Chainlink, Cardano, Uniswap, Sushi, Compound, Yearn Finance, Polygon and EOS any time of day or night using its 24-hour transaction service. There is only a $1,000 minimum to start an account and a $30 trade minimum. iTrustCapital also lets its clients diversify their IRA portfolios with gold while enjoying the same fees.
The company does secure its access with a $50 million insurance policy from Munich Re, a leading provider of insurance-related risk solutions with over 140 years of experience. iTrustCapital announced in June 2021 that it began using Coinbase Custody to secure its digital assets. Between Munich Re and Coinbase Custody, iTrustCapital's assets are insured up to $370 million.
Best Investor Experience : Coin IRA
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Best Bitcoin IRA Companies
Coin IRA walks individuals through the process of setting up and managing a Cryptocurrency IRA and offers low fees and multiple storage options, placing it in first place for the best investor experience.
Cryptocurrency consultants available
Multiple secure wallet options
Low fees
$20,000 minimum to open a cryptocurrency IRA account
No fees listed on website
An offshoot of gold and silver IRA provider Goldco, Coin IRA was founded in 2017 to turn the company’s expertise in alternative asset IRA investing toward cryptocurrency. Its dedicated cryptocurrency advisors, low fees, and choice of security options make it our choice for the best investor experience.
Coin IRA helps individuals get started with its free, downloadable "Ultimate Guide to Cryptocurrency Investing" that educates readers on the investment benefits of Cryptocurrency IRAs, how to convert existing retirement accounts to invest in cryptocurrencies, and more. From there, the company offers specialized cryptocurrency retirement experts who can walk customers through the process of setting up an account.
Coin IRA supports investment and trading in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and more. It also gives its clients the option to choose their level of asset security. Assets can be stored securely offline, moved into a hard wallet that they control, or transferred directly to their preferred cryptocurrency wallet.
Coin IRA’s minimum investment is $20,000 to open a Cryptocurrency IRA, or $3,500 if funds are transferred from a non-IRA account. Although the company doesn’t publish fees on its website, they have confirmed the annual costs include a $50 setup fee, a $195 annual maintenance fee, and .05% monthly for cryptocurrency storage.
Best for Security : BitIRA
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BitIRA
BitIRA offers Bitcoin IRAs with dollar-for-dollar insurance coverage for digital assets and true offline cold storage of private keys, placing it in the top position as the best for security.
Digital assets kept in guarded offline storage
Full insurance coverage for digital assets
Multi-encryption encoding for transactions
Must open accounts with a digital currency specialist
Though only established in 2017, BitIRA has made a name for itself by offering the highest levels of security for both cryptocurrency transactions and storage, backed by unlimited insurance coverage, making it our choice as the best for security.
BitIRA uses multi-encryption encoding for transactions to keep them secure while they’re most vulnerable online. Once completed, transactions are moved to physical keys kept offline inside grade-5 nuclear bunkers protected by armed guards and computer security specialists 24/7.
BitIRA is so confident in its security measures that it covers all digital assets dollar-for-dollar, insuring all client digital currencies at full value. The company also offers a $1 million consumer protection insurance policy to protect against internal cases of fraud or theft as well as a $1 million cybersecurity policy.
BitIRA requires a minimum investment amount of $5,000 to start an IRA and requires customers to work with a digital currency specialist to open an account. The company allows clients to invest and trade in six types of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin.
Although BitIRA doesn’t list fees on its website, third-party sources indicate that customers can expect to pay a setup fee of $50, $195 for annual account maintenance, and 0.05% per month for secure offline storage.
Best for Self-Directed Investments : Equity Trust
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Equity Trust
Equity Trust has been managing self-directed IRAs for 38 years with both traditional and alternative investments and no transaction fees, placing it in our top spot as the best for self-directed investments.
38 years' experience in self-directed IRAs
Supports traditional and alternative investments
No transaction fees
High administration fees
Must open accounts with a representative
As a financial services company established in 1974, Equity Trust branched into self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs) in 1983. The company’s extensive expertise in traditional and alternative investments, no transaction fees, and personal guidance make it our top choice as the best for self-directed investments.
Clients will need to speak to a representative directly in order to start an Equity Trust SDIRA and are required to make an initial investment of $10,000. Once an account is open, clients can trade in up to eight cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, with no fees and a one-day settlement.
Equity Trust also takes security seriously, employing over six security features, including multi-factor authentication, multi-encryption, and secure cold storage. The company also offers end-to-end insurance on its digital assets.
Equity Trust offers its clients access to SDIRA specialists who can help them manage their accounts as well as educational tools to help them understand their investment options. The company does offer a dashboard to its clients for handling transactions, requiring them to issue directions to an account specialist to invest funds from their accounts.
Equity Trust does not list fees on its site, but our research shows the company charges annual administration fees between $205 to $2,150 depending on the size of the account as well as a $50 setup fee, a $20 per month platform fee, and a 0.07% monthly cold storage fee based on the account balance.
Best Variety of Cryptocurrency Supported : Regal Assets
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Regal Assets
Regal Assets offers IRAs that allow clients to invest in both hard assets as well as digital assets including all popular cryptocurrencies, placing it in our top spot for the best variety of cryptocurrency supported.
Supports all popular cryptocurrencies
Flat-rate fees
Digital assets insured up to $250 million
$25,000 initial investment required
Must open accounts with a representative
Founded in 2010 as an alternate assets investment firm, Regal Assets added cryptocurrency to its portfolio in 2017. Although its original focus is on precious metals, the company allows trading of popular cryptocurrency investments and is our choice for the best variety of cryptocurrency supported.
Regal Assets makes it easy to create an IRA account with an initial investment of $25,000 or by rolling over funds from a traditional IRA. Once a client fills out an online application, a team member will contact them to set up their account.
As a top-rated crypto IRA company in the U.S., Regal Assets was the first company in the industry to receive a crypto trading license. Although the company’s site only lists 14 supported cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin, it allows its clients to invest in just about any cryptocurrency they want.
Another unique feature of Regal Assets is its flat fees, which include a $100 annual administration fee and a $150 yearly storage fee, both of which are waived during the first year. The storage fees include multiple offshore storage options for precious metals, which is less than other firms offer.
Final Verdict
As more firms allow their clients to add alternative assets like Bitcoin to their IRAs, understanding which ones offer the best expertise, security, and support can be tricky. In the end, companies with deep expertise in managing both traditional and digital assets are the ones who can future-proof their clients’ retirements.
As the first and largest cryptocurrency IRA company, Bitcoin IRA takes our top spot as the best overall due to its easy account setup, 24/7 real-time trading, and advanced security features.
Coin IRA is our pick for the best investor experience with its free, downloadable "Cryptocurrency IRA Guide," access to specialized cryptocurrency consultants, and choice of three secure digital asset storage options.
In terms of pricing, iTrustCapital wins for the best rates and fees with a simple 1% transaction fee and low monthly service fee of just $29.05, while BitIRA aced the best for security category with multi-encryption encoding for transactions and offsite storage in nuclear bunkers protected by armed guards.
Equity Trust brought nearly 40 years of experience in SDIRAs, seamlessly blending traditional and digital assets with no transaction fees, making it our choice as the best for self-directed investments.
Finally, we picked Regal Assets for the best variety of cryptocurrency supported since it allows its clients to invest in any popular cryptocurrency they desire as well as precious metals to create diverse and secure portfolios.
Compare Providers
| Company | Why We Chose It | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin IRA | Best Overall | Full-service Bitcoin IRA provider offering 24/7 trading |
| Coin IRA | Best Investor Experience | Cryptocurrency consultants and multiple storage options |
| iTrustCapital | Best Rates and Fees | $29.95 monthly service fee and 1% per transaction |
| BitIRA | Best for Security | Guarded offline storage and full insurance coverage |
| Equity Trust | Best for Self-Directed Investments | 38 years' experience in self-directed IRAs |
| Regal Assets | Best Variety of Cryptocurrency Supported | Supports investing using all popular cryptocurrencies |
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Bitcoin IRAs Work?
A Bitcoin IRA allows individuals to diversify their IRAs with investments in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Because the IRS considers Bitcoin property, taxing them like stocks and bonds, account holders need a custodian to manage their IRA.
Bitcoin IRA firms also allow account holders to freely trade cryptocurrency on their platforms and offer either secure online or offsite storage for their clients’ digital assets.
How Should I Choose a Bitcoin IRA Company?
Security and fees are two of the most important criteria for choosing a Bitcoin IRA company. Since cryptocurrency isn’t backed by any fiat currency, investors who have their accounts hacked risk losing everything. As a result, many firms store digital assets in physical vaults to protect accounts from cyberattacks and also insure investments up to a certain dollar value.
Fees are also a big consideration, since many firms charge high trading and administrative fees based on the size of accounts, as well as storage fees, potentially cutting into the profitability of investments. It’s also important to choose a company with dedicated experience in managing IRAs and not just cryptocurrencies.
Are All Bitcoin IRA Companies Safe?
Some would say that the uncertainty of cryptocurrency in general makes Bitcoin IRAs inherently risky. Those willing to accept the risk must find firms with the technology and infrastructure to manage transactions securely and protect their digital assets.
To this end, firms that offer multiple layers of transaction encoding and security features, a variety of cryptocurrency choices for investing, and offline cold storage provide the most security available for their clients.
What Are the Benefits of Bitcoin IRAs?
The main advantage of Bitcoin IRAs is that they add diversification to retirement portfolios to both mitigate risk and maximize potential returns. Investors who diversify their IRAs with precious metals due to their relative market stability are now looking to cryptocurrencies for the same reason. Including digital currencies in some types of retirement accounts can also help investors avoid heavy capital gains taxes.
How We Chose the Best Bitcoin IRA Companies
We looked at nearly a dozen Bitcoin IRAs for this review. Our first consideration was to find companies with both deep experience in managing IRAs as well as alternative assets like cryptocurrencies.
Security was also a major consideration. Since Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency isn’t backed by any bank or hard assets, a cyber hacker could potentially wipe out an entire Bitcoin IRA. For that reason, we made sure to choose companies that provided state-of-the-art security features and high insurance coverage for their digital assets.
Finally, we included companies with low or reasonable fees since managing a Bitcoin IRA can be potentially much more expensive than managing most traditional retirement accounts.