Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Finance BitIRA Review 2025: No Monthly or Setup Fees, A Rarity in Crypto IRA Market Updated Apr 03, 2025 9-min read Reviewed by Marc Guberti Reviewed by Marc Guberti Expertise: investing, loans, credit cards, personal finance, banking, business financing Learn more about Marc Guberti Best for Fewer Fees Visit Site Crypto IRA No monthly fees or setup fees Choose from 18 cryptocurrencies Enjoy tax breaks while accumulating crypto Enhanced security measures Isn’t transparent about transaction fees Some crypto IRA companies support more cryptos The ability to buy crypto while lowering your tax bill has caused an influx of consumers to rush to open a crypto IRA, and more financial firms are offering these types of retirement accounts. BitIRA is one of the more established companies, having been around since 2017. It’s a competitive IRA provider because it charges no setup or monthly fees. However, the company isn’t transparent about its trading fees. Bit IRA offers a variety of IRA types for crypto trading, including traditional, Roth, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs. If you’re considering one of these accounts, it’s important to understand how a company like BitIRA stacks up against other options. This BitIRA review will explore the key details you should consider before starting. Table of Contents How does BitIRA work? What are the fees? Is BitIRA legit and safe? Pros and cons BitIRA alternatives How to invest with BitIRA How does BitIRA work? BitIRA is a crypto IRA provider that allows investors to choose from 18 cryptocurrencies. Investors can buy fan-favorite cryptos like bitcoin and ethereum while reducing their tax burden. These are the cryptocurrencies you can currently trade using BitIRA: Bitcoin Bitcoin cash Chainlink Ethereum Litecoin Stellarlumens Solana Ripple (XRP) Aave The graph Basic attention token (BAT) Livepeer (LPT) Uniswap Compound DAI Maker Yearn.finance MANA While this is a decent selection to choose from, other companies, like Bitcoin IRA, offer as many as 75 cryptocurrencies. But if your preferred types are on the above list, BitIRA offers services that align with crypto IRA industry standards and some features related to security and fees that go beyond them. Here’s a closer look. 24/7 trading The cryptocurrency market is open 24/7, providing crypto enthusiasts with opportunities to profit from daily price fluctuations. BitIRA follows the industry standard by allowing investors to access their accounts online to trade digital assets anytime they want and check account balances and performance. This around-the-clock trading is one of the benefits of crypto investing in general—you don’t need to worry about pre-market and after-hours, which are common in the stock market. Those times of the day often feature higher bid-ask spreads. Several IRA types available BitIRA offers multiple IRA options to fit different tax strategies and retirement goals. A traditional IRA lets you defer taxes on contributions, while a Roth IRA allows for tax-free withdrawals in retirement. For self-employed individuals and small business owners, BitIRA also supports SEP IRAs, which offer higher contribution limits, and SIMPLE IRAs, designed for businesses with fewer employees looking for an easy-to-manage retirement plan. Specialized customer support BitIRA offers phone, email, and fax support for its customers. Headquartered in Burbank, California, the firm’s office hours are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific. What sets BitIRA apart on the customer support front is its team of specialists ready to help with your crypto-investing needs. BitIRA has a team of digital currency specialists who can guide you with buy and sell orders, assist with liquidations, and get you started with an account. BitIRA also has dedicated IRA specialists who can help with all the paperwork for your new custodian. You can contact these professionals if you need assistance with your older custodian to roll over your retirement account into a crypto IRA. FDIC insurance on cash deposits BitIRA is compliant with U.S. government regulations and offers FDIC insurance—but only on cash held in custodial accounts, not on cryptocurrency holdings. Like many financial institutions, BitIRA’s partner banks provide standard FDIC protection for up to $250,000 in cash deposits. However, it’s important to understand that FDIC insurance does not apply to crypto investments, which remain uninsured and subject to market volatility. What are BitIRA fees? BitIRA does not charge monthly fees or setup fees. The company assesses transaction fees but isn’t transparent about them. We couldn’t find information about these fees on the company’s website. You can find crypto IRA providers with 1% transaction fees for buy and sell orders. A 2% transaction fee is among the highest costs in the industry. It’s good to remember these numbers if you decide to open a BitIRA account, so you can compare. However, it is rare to find crypto IRA providers without monthly or setup fees. The lack of these fees can offset high transaction fees if you decide to work with BitIRA. Is BitIRA legit and safe? BitIRA is a legitimate IRA provider with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Although BitIRA has no Trustpilot reviews, it has 74 reviews on the customer experience platform Birdeye, with an average rating of 4.9 stars out of 5. Many reviews mention BitIRA’s good customer support and how easy it is to use the platform. BitIRA usually responds to reviews, which shows it’s engaged with this customer base. Enhanced security features One standout feature of BitIRA is its extended efforts to keep its customers’ information secure. The company is registered with the U.S. government and uses multi-signature authorization to add protection. BitIRA partners with Ledger Enterprise, enabling multi-signature authorization and other protections that keep crypto wallets more secure. BitIRA is also registered as a money services business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. It’s one of the few crypto IRA companies that took this step, and it had to meet stringent guidelines during this process. BitIRA pros and cons Considering the pros and cons of any IRA company before you create an account is smart. Here’s what to know about BitIRA. Pros No monthly fees or setup fees Most crypto IRAs have these fees, and they can eat away at a significant amount of your returns. Fewer fees allow you to keep more of your gains. Choose from 18 cryptocurrencies BitIRA offers several cryptos, including popular choices like bitcoin and ethereum. It provides a solid mix of choices for traders while giving long-term bitcoin investors the option to accumulate their favorite crypto. Enjoy tax breaks while accumulating crypto Roth IRAs allow you to avoid taxes on capital gains and withdrawals. On the other hand, traditional IRAs let you defer taxes. You can choose to put money into one of these accounts and even open multiple IRAs with BitIRA. Standout security Added efforts like registration with the U.S. government and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and multi-signature authorization enhance BitIRA’s security beyond other crypto IRA companies. Cons The company isn’t transparent about transaction fees This is a big shortcoming for BitIRA. You either need to create an account or call by phone to learn about current transaction fees. Other crypto IRA providers are more open about how much it will cost to place buy and sell orders. Fewer cryptocurrencies available than competitors Some of BitIRA’s competitors offer more than 50 cryptocurrencies, while BitIRA currently offers 18. The company even acknowledges that a few popular cryptocurrencies, including cardano, horizen, and dash, are not available. How does BitIRA compare to alternatives? BitIRA isn’t the only option if you want to accumulate crypto in a retirement account. Here’s how BitIRA compares to three other personal finance companies that offer similar services. BitIRA vs. iTrustCapital iTrustCapital is more transparent with its fees, which are generous for a crypto IRA provider. The company has a 1% transaction fee for buy and sell orders. It also lets you buy precious metals. The fees for those assets are $75 over gold’s spot price per ounce and $3.25 over silver’s spot price per ounce. iTrustCapital offers more than 25 cryptocurrencies for investment, which is more than the number of cryptos you can trade with BitIRA. Both companies invest heavily in customer security. BitIRA vs. Bitcoin IRA It’s easy to confuse these two IRA providers: BitIRA search results often show Bitcoin IRA. While BitIRA isn’t transparent about transaction fees, Bitcoin IRA charges a 2% fee for each trade, higher than most crypto IRA providers. Further, Bitcoin IRA charges a 1.99% setup and deposit fee plus a 0.08% monthly fee. Bitcoin IRA seems to nickel and dime its customers, while BitIRA charges fewer expenses than Bitcoin IRA. Bitcoin IRA lets you trade over 75 cryptocurrencies, much more than most IRA providers. The company also adapts quickly to new trends. It added the TrumpCoin to its supported cryptocurrencies shortly after its launch. If a new cryptocurrency takes center stage in the future, it’s likely to be on Bitcoin IRA sooner than the other IRA providers. However, the extra cryptocurrencies don’t matter if you only want to buy and hold bitcoin. BitIRA vs. Alto CryptoIRA Alto CryptoIRA lets you trade over 250 cryptocurrencies and only charge a 1% transaction fee for buy and sell orders. The company lets customers choose from traditional, Roth, and SEP IRAs. One factor differentiating Alto from BitIRA is the abundance of alternative investments. Alto customers can also invest in farmland, private REITs, sports agencies, private credit, and other assets normally out of reach for retail investors. The minimum investment for these opportunities ranges from $25,000 to $50,000. BitIRA offers fewer crypto options and no alternative investments. Further, BitIRA’s trading fees remain a mystery. How to invest with BitIRA Investing with BitIRA is straightforward. You must create an account on the company’s website and select which type of IRA you want to use. You can then add your bank account information and transfer money into your BitIRA account. You can start trading crypto once you have the money in your account. BitIRA’s specialists can guide you through the process of rolling over funds from an IRA into your BitIRA account. You must sell all of the stocks in your existing IRA before rolling it over to BitIRA. Customer support can answer questions and resolve any issues you have during the process. Investing in crypto can lead to tremendous long-term returns. Bitcoin has led the way with a return above 800% over the past five years. BitIRA is one option that lets you enjoy those returns while reaping tax benefits. FAQ Is BitIRA safe? Yes, BitIRA is considered a safe option for cryptocurrency IRAs. It partners with reputable custodians and employs high-security measures, including multi-signature authentication, to protect digital assets. Its assets are insured against theft, fraud, and hacking, adding an extra layer of protection. However, cryptocurrency IRAs come with risks like any investment, including market volatility and regulatory uncertainty. Is BitIRA a good idea? A BitIRA account can be a good idea for investors who want to diversify their retirement portfolio with cryptocurrencies. It offers tax advantages, secure storage, and a selection of digital assets. However, it may not be suitable for everyone, especially risk-averse investors; cryptocurrencies are super volatile. While the company does not charge monthly or setup fees, its transaction fees are unknown and could be higher than those of traditional IRAs. Do you pay taxes on a BitIRA account? Yes, but the tax implications depend on your IRA type. If you have a traditional BitIRA, your contributions may be tax-deductible, but withdrawals in retirement are taxed as ordinary income. If you have a Roth BitIRA, contributions are made with after-tax dollars, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. However, cryptocurrency transactions within the IRA are not subject to immediate capital gains taxes as long as they remain within the account. Always consult a tax professional for specific guidance. Recap of BitIRA crypto IRAs FeatureGoodExceptionalAccounts offered☑️Cryptocurrencies available☑️Customer reviews☑️Fees✅Security✅Customer support✅