It’s not often you witness the birth of a new investment class, yet that’s exactly what’s happening now with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Investors understandably want some tax protection in these investments, and thus more and more firms offering crypto IRAs are springing up.
Crypto IRAs are the same types of accounts as a traditional IRA (including Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, and so on), but they work through a broker that can execute cryptocurrency trades on the account’s behalf. Think of them as a bitcoin retirement account (or, because BTC is the crypto’s ticker symbol, a BTC IRA).
To pull off a bitcoin IRA, you need a company willing to handle IRA administration for you. But which is best? Below, I’ll highlight some key players so you’ll know which fits your needs.
| Company | What to know | Consider it if … |
| iTrust Capital | Stellar customer service reputation, low transaction fees, can also buy precious metals | You don’t want to do a ton of research but want the confidence in your choice |
| Bitcoin IRA | Enhanced security features, but you’ll pay a premium | You’re concerned about the quality of your security and insurance and want the strongest protection against hacking |
| BitIRA | No setup or ongoing fees and plenty of security features | You know about cryptocurrency and like the hands-off, no-maintenance-fees approach |
| Alto CryptoIRA | Strong reputation, wide selection, and easy crypto trading via the app | You want to make easy trades using your phone |
| Coin IRA | BBB-accredited with no account opening fees | You want 24-hour customer support and lower transaction fees |
| Equity Trust Company | Third-party provider also offering other alternative assets like real estate | You want to construct a complete portfolio of alternative assets |
The best crypto IRA companies
Evaluating crypto IRA companies isn’t always a one-to-one comparison. That’s why we’re using a “stew” approach. We’re looking at the basic ingredients—customer service reviews, fee structure, and cryptocurrency options offered—and throwing them in a pot to compare how one company’s bitcoin IRA “stew” might compare to another’s.
Check out our reviews of the best crypto IRA firms in 2025.
- Best for Buying Crypto and Precious Metals: iTrustCapital
- Best for Enhanced Security Features: Bitcoin IRA
- Best for No Setup or Ongoing Fees: BitIRA
- Best for Easy In-App Trading: Alto CryptoIRA
- Best for No Account Opening Fees: Coin IRA
- Best for Investing in Real Estate and Other Assets: Equity Trust Company
iTrustCapital Crypto IRA
Best for Buying Crypto and Precious Metals
Why iTrustCapital is one of the best
iTrustCapital’s crypto IRA has a stellar reputation (including 4.9/5 with more than 5,000 reviews on Trustpilot) and a key advantage: Its popularity with investors makes it less of a risk for you.
It offers a 1% cryptocurrency transaction fee for buying and selling your crypto, has no startup or exit fees, and even throws in precious metals transactions if you want to use the same IRA for other alternative assets.
- Great reputation for customer service
- Well-established client history to give you added confidence
- No setup fees, which makes it easier to dip your toes in the water
- Wide range of cryptocurrency assets
- Also offers silver and gold investing
- The $1,000 investment minimum isn’t prohibitive but is a bit higher than other IRA brokerages on the list
| Types of crypto IRAs | All standard IRA types, including crypto Roth IRAs |
| Supported cryptos | ~100, including bitcoin, ethereum, XRP, and solana |
| Fees | 1% buy/sell transaction fees |
| Investment minimum | $1,000 |
| Customer satisfaction | 4.9/5 (Trustpilot) |
Bitcoin IRA
Best for Enhanced Security Features
Why Bitcoin IRA is one of the best
Is Bitcoin IRA legit? We think so: Bitcoin IRA is another company with a long history, advertising itself as the world’s first and most trusted crypto IRA platform.
It has a strong reputation for security (call up its team, and it’s happy to tell you about how it only buys OTC and never had a major security breach) and customer service. This also means customers are typically willing to pay Bitcoin IRA’s more substantive fees.
When considering this company, that is the key question: Are you willing to pay a premium for the confidence that investing in Bitcoin IRA will give you?
- Up to $250 million in custody insurance available, with security features a top priority
- More 200,000 customers means a well-established client history with plenty of online reviews
- Well-reputed customer service, including many customers calling out their specific support members by name
- More than 75 cryptocurrencies to trade
- Setup fees and monthly fees mean you pay a premium for security features
| Types of crypto IRAs | All standard IRA types, including Roth IRAs |
| Supported cryptos | 75+ cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ethereum, and solana |
| Fees | Free to open an account, any transaction fees: 2%, 0.08% monthly security fees (effectively a 0.96% expense ratio) |
| Investment minimum | $1,000 to start an account, no requirement to maintain a balance |
| Customer satisfaction | 4.7/5 (Trustpilot) |
BitIRA
Best for No Setup or Ongoing Fees
Why BitIRA is one of the best
BitIRA is another high-scoring firm offering reliable security features in accounts like your bitcoin Roth IRA. The company requires both your authorization and authorization from its security partners, which adds a layer to its security features.
Like Bitcoin IRA, it’s heavy on the insurance end, offering end-to-end insurance on digital assets, either stored or “in transit.”
- Extensive security features and protocols to ensure you don’t lose any of your cryptocurrency
- No setup fees or ongoing fees, which makes the overall process straightforward—and great for new investors without much financial wiggle room
- Variable pricing may work to your advantage depending on the bitcoin pricing spread, for example; however, this may require more extensive knowledge in cryptocurrency investing
- More limited cryptocurrency selection (17)
- 22-hour-a-day trading is limited compared to the 24/7 trading offered at Bitcoin IRA
- Higher ($5,000) minimum investment
| Types of crypto IRAs | All standard IRA types, including crypto Roth IRAs |
| Supported cryptos | Bitcoin, bitcoin cash, chainlink, ethereum, and around a dozen more |
| Fees | No fees for setup or ongoing fees; “Custom” style pricing in the bitcoin spread price, so it may vary and be unpredictable |
| Investment minimum | $5,000 |
| Customer satisfaction | 2.0/5 (BBB [only 1 review]; No Trustpilot reviews) |
Alto CryptoIRA
Best for Easy In-App Trading
Why Alto is one of the best
Reputable, with straightforward fees and an extensive crowd of customers to vouch for its services, Alto is another crypto IRA provider that deserves mention here. Maybe the best thing about it is the wide range of cryptocurrencies it offers, which is great for crypto-hungry IRA customers. Its app is especially easy to use, too.
- Low custody fees and a reasonable transaction fee combined with a low investment minimum (just $10) keep it one of the more affordable options on this list
- Wider range of cryptocurrency offerings allows you to invest in some of the smaller crypto opportunities, which may have more chance of growing
- Lower barrier to entry for opening and maintaining an account is ideal for anyone who wants to dip their toes in the water
- Uses Coinbase, which can be a downside for those users who don’t trust Coinbase’s security features
| Types of crypto IRAs | All standard IRA types, including Roth IRAs |
| Supported cryptos | Around 200, including major cryptocurrencies bitcoin and ethereum |
| Fees | $0 custody fee and a 1% transaction fee |
| Investment minimum | $10 |
| Customer satisfaction | 4.2/5 (Trustpilot) |
Coin IRA
Best for No Account Opening Fees
Why Coin is one of the best
BBB-accredited since 2017, Coin IRA has a high rating and high trust with its customers. It provides a support chat feature that’s active 24 hours per day, which is great for anyone who feels a little too antsy about their crypto to leave it alone just yet.
One of the best features is free insured cold crypto storage via Ledger Enterprise—though, as with anything else, you’ll have to do some research into this third party to make sure it’s what you’re comfortable with.
- Long-established cryptocurrency IRA history with BBB accreditation
- 24-hour chat support helps you get answers to questions about your crypto ASAP
- Free to open an account, and includes both IRA and non-IRA accounts for anyone who wants to investigate what it’s like to invest in cryptocurrency
- Surprisingly small and poorly reviewed presence on Trustpilot, which may give pause about its long-term prospects
- Unique pay structure where buy trades cost more than sell trades, potentially tilting the way you make your crypto decisions
| Types of crypto IRAs | All standard IRA types, including Roth IRAs; also includes non-IRA crypto trading accounts |
| Supported cryptos | Bitcoin, solana, uniswap, ripple, ethereum, litecoin, and around a dozen more |
| Fees | 1.25% on buy trades, 1% on sell trades; no account setups or monthly maintenance fees |
| Customer satisfaction | 3.0/5 (Trustpilot) |
Equity Trust Company
Best for Investing in Real Estate and Other Assets
Why Equity Trust Company is one of the best
Equity Trust Company is the one firm on this list that isn’t oriented directly toward bitcoin and cryptocurrency IRAs. It offers self-directed IRAs in which you can invest in several alternative assets, including real estate. Its Universal IRA allows you to hold traditional IRA investments (like stocks) and alternative investments (like crypto) in the same account.
For crypto IRA investments, Equity Trust partners with BitIRA and Coin IRA, so you don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to one option on this list.
Despite its broader offerings, Equity Trust earns poor ratings on Trustpilot—with several hundred reviews—but since it also pairs with other providers, that can add to the “trust” you’ll experience.
- Hands-off, third-party approach to handling your investments, which can be good if you don’t understand cryptocurrencies to the extent you’d like and prefer a helping hand
- Partners with other trusted names, including BitIRA and CoinIRA, which adds to your certainty that you’ll be working with reputable people
- Also, it facilitates alternative asset-class investments like real estate
- A poor Trustpilot rating suggests the customer service experience hasn’t been good—especially given its long history of grabbing customer reviews
| Types of crypto IRAs | All standard IRA types, including Roth IRAs, HSAs, and more |
| Supported cryptos | Depends on the provider (e.g., BitIRA’s supported coins are different from Coin IRA’s) |
| Fees | $500 digital asset platform establishment, $20/month fees, 3.5% currency purchase fees, 1% sales fees (details) |
| Investment minimum | None |
| Customer satisfaction | 2.2/5 (Trustpilot) |
How crypto IRAs work
Crypto IRAs are self-directed IRAs in which you hold crypto assets. Typically, these self-directed IRA administrators offer services like carrying out the transaction on your behalf, storing it securely, and even offering insurance on what you hold in case of issues like a security breach.
It’s a similar arrangement to other self-directed IRAs, such as IRAs in which you hold real estate. To keep your retirement assets separate from your assets, you need to work through a third-party administrator. This is what gives you the tax benefits of valid retirement plans. (For example, a Roth IRA means you won’t have to pay additional taxes on the investments if you take them as distributions after hitting retirement age.)
We go into further detail about how crypto IRAs and bitcoin IRAs work here. But the key is that these third-party administrators can charge small fees for carrying out transactions on your IRA’s behalf, giving you the retirement benefits you’re after.
How to open a crypto IRA
Follow these general steps to open account with one of the companies above.
- Select a crypto IRA provider.
- Choose the type of account in which you’d like to hold the crypto (e.g., Roth IRA or traditional IRA).
- Open an account with the required forms, electronic or otherwise, at the administrator’s website.
- Fund the account.
- If an app is available, download the IRA firm’s app for easier trading.
- Select the cryptocurrencies in which you want to place an investment.
You might need to contact customer service with the companies above to handle any extra steps, such as rolling over your current IRA.
Features and benefits of crypto IRAs
Here’s what to understand about a crypto IRA, regardless of which company you select.
- Common features: Crypto IRA firms will typically offer similar asset selections (e.g., bitcoin is a must-have offering) and trading platforms (such as trading apps). Another common feature is transaction fees, with typical fees ranging from 1% and up.
- Investor benefits: Ideally, these companies don’t just make it easy to invest in crypto, but also add benefits like security and insurance so you have some confidence when you do invest. The trading platforms can be a key standout benefit, too—for example, the Alto CryptoIRA app on the Apple store has high ratings with customers, who find it intuitive.
- What sets providers apart: It depends on the provider, but look for key features like lower fees (transaction and setup fees), more crypto options when available, or add-ons like enhanced security features. Bitcoin IRA has a great reputation for its security features thanks to its careful approach to buying and selling cryptocurrencies and its connection to Lloyd’s of London to offer insurance to its IRA holders.
Before adding crypto to a retirement portfolio, I walk clients through the risks and emphasize the importance of secure storage—typically cold storage. Once they’re comfortable with both, we discuss the best way to gain exposure based on the time horizon.
If the funds are needed before retirement, I recommend using a taxable account. For long-term investments, consider a Roth IRA or self-directed Roth 401(k) to capture potential gains tax-free.
More about crypto IRAs: Fees, reviews, and legitimacy
Crypto IRA fees typically include the following:
- Transaction fees, meaning that whenever you buy or sell a cryptocurrency within the account, the firm can take out approximately 1% of the transaction or more for its services. If you plan on doing a lot of buying and selling within the account, these can add up—but it’s fairly negligible for anyone looking for a buy-and-hold strategy. Also, watch for IRA firms that have different buying and selling fees, which may factor into how you invest.
- Account fees like setup costs or ongoing monthly maintenance can eat into an account over time. Not every IRA provider will include these fees, so if you don’t want to pay them, you can choose one of the well-reputed providers that doesn’t require them.
Due to crypto’s volatility, I usually suggest allocating no more than 10% of investable net worth—which is similar to my guidance on individual stocks.
Are crypto IRAs legit?
Crypto IRAs are perfectly legitimate as a means of investing, as are many of the companies that facilitate these IRAs. It’s your right to have tax protections on specific retirement accounts like IRAs if you meet the qualifications, and these companies simply act as the third-party custodian on the accounts so you can manage them properly and legally.
However, not all companies are alike. For example, we found Trustpilot ratings that range from extremely happy customers to others that have us questioning just how legitimate the company is. So if you’re concerned about the legitimacy of your crypto IRA strategy, invest with a company with an extensive history of positive customer reviews online.
Additionally, look for transparency in fees and benefits. Consider it a “green flag” if a company (like Alto) publishes its fees online with full transparency—it means they have something worth boasting about. Other companies may try to pitch you on their accounts before revealing their (higher) fees. That was our experience when calling up Bitcoin IRA.
What is the outlook for crypto IRAs in 2025?
“Bitcoin is surging,” wrote the Wall Street Journal in late 2024, noting that it’s more important than ever for investors to be wary about their tax obligations:
For tax purposes, the IRS considers crypto as property, meaning that the rules for gains or losses work much like they do for stocks.
Ashlea Ebeling, Wall Street Journal
That’s why so many investors are now looking up bitcoin IRA reviews and including crypto investments in IRAs. They know about the protections that come with those accounts. Just as you don’t pay capital gains taxes for selling a stock within a Roth IRA, you wouldn’t pay the same tax for selling cryptocurrency within a Roth IRA.
With 14% of people who don’t own crypto planning to buy it in 2025, per Security.org, it’s clear the surging prices of cryptocurrencies in 2024 had an effect on everyone’s retirement plans. Crypto is here to stay, even if some investors still aren’t confident the technology is as safe and secure as they’d prefer. That’s where third-party administrators who offer security, as Bitcoin IRA does, may have an advantage when more people move to this asset class.
FAQ
How does a crypto IRA differ from a traditional IRA?
A crypto IRA is a self-directed individual retirement account that allows you to invest in cryptocurrencies, rather than the typical stocks or bonds found in traditional IRAs. This offers the potential for higher growth and diversification, although it also comes with unique risks.
Unlike traditional IRAs, crypto IRAs require a specialized custodian to manage digital assets, and they often feature distinct fee structures and security protocols. When selecting a provider, you’ll want to compare not only the investment options available but also the associated costs and security measures to find the best option for your retirement needs.
How do I choose the best crypto IRA provider?
Choosing the best crypto IRA provider involves a careful comparison of factors such as fees, supported cryptocurrencies, user reviews, and overall reputation. Look for providers that offer transparent fee structures and robust security measures, and consider whether they offer specialized options like crypto Roth IRA or bitcoin Roth IRA accounts.
It’s also important to assess the platform’s ease of use, the quality of customer support, and the educational resources available. By weighing these factors, you can identify the provider that best aligns with your retirement goals and risk tolerance.
What factors should I consider when comparing bitcoin IRA fees?
Examine management fees, trading fees, and any setup or custodial charges that may apply. Some providers might offer low management fees but compensate with higher trading fees, so it’s important to calculate your expected costs based on your trading frequency and investment size.
In addition to fee structures, consider the overall value, including platform features, security protocols, and customer support. A comprehensive cost-benefit analysis will help you identify the provider offering the best balance of affordability and quality for your bitcoin retirement account.
Are crypto IRAs safe and legitimate?
Crypto IRAs are generally safe and legitimate when managed by reputable companies that adhere to federal regulations and implement strong security measures. To ensure safety, research the provider’s background, read bitcoin IRA reviews, and verify that the company has a proven track record in managing digital assets.
Transparency in fee structures and operational policies is also key. By choosing a well-regulated provider with positive customer feedback, you can select the best option that meets your retirement planning needs while safeguarding your investment.
Can I convert my traditional IRA to a crypto IRA?
Yes, many providers allow you to convert a traditional IRA to a crypto IRA, which can help diversify your retirement portfolio with digital assets. The process typically involves transferring assets from your existing IRA to a self-directed account that supports cryptocurrencies, providing you with exposure to potentially higher-growth investments.
Before converting, it’s important to understand the tax implications, fees, and any specific requirements involved. Consulting a financial advisor and comparing the offerings of various crypto IRA providers will ensure you choose the best option tailored to your retirement strategy.
Recap of the best crypto IRAs
| Company | What to know | Consider it if … |
| iTrust Capital | Stellar customer service reputation, low transaction fees, can also buy precious metals | You don’t want to do a ton of research but want the confidence in your choice |
| Bitcoin IRA | Enhanced security features, but you’ll pay a premium | You’re concerned about the quality of your security and insurance and want the strongest protection against hacking |
| BitIRA | No setup or ongoing fees and plenty of security features | You know about cryptocurrency and like the hands-off, no-maintenance-fees approach |
| Alto CryptoIRA | Strong reputation, wide selection, and easy crypto trading via the app | You want to make easy trades using your phone |
| Coin IRA | BBB-accredited with no account opening fees | You want 24-hour customer support and lower transaction fees |
| Equity Trust Company | Third-party provider also offering other alternative assets like real estate | You want to construct a complete portfolio of alternative assets |