Best Crypto IRA Accounts 2022 – Compare Bitcoin IRAs

Until recently, retirement accounts were primarily used to trade and invest in traditional assets such as stocks and bonds.

However, today, investors have the opportunity to buy and sell cryptocurrencies through IRAs – while benefiting from tax advantages.

In this guide, we review the top five crypto retirement accounts for 2022. You will also find a comparison table that will help you pick the best crypto IRA account for your needs.

The Best Crypto IRA Accounts for 2022 List

If you are looking for the best crypto IRA account for your investments – consider the providers below:

As you can imagine, Bitcoin IRA companies differ widely in terms of the services offered as well as the fees charged. Therefore, it is crucial that you read the in-depth reviews that we have included below before proceeding.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

Best Bitcoin IRAs Reviewed 

Bitcoin IRAs is the common term used to collectively address cryptocurrency retirement accounts.

Nevertheless, when choosing the best crypto IRA account, you should look for a platform that lets you invest in a variety of digital assets, allowing you to build a diversified portfolio.

With this in mind, let us take a closer look at the best platforms you can consider for your crypto retirement investment needs.

1. BitcoinIRA – Overall Best Crypto IRA Account in 2022

BitcoinIRA was the first and is still the largest company to offer crypto retirement accounts. Established in 2016,  the platform gives you access to Traditional, Roth, and 401(k) IRAs. You will also be able to carry out self-directed trading from within your crypto IRA account.

The platform supports over 60 digital assets. As such, not only can you buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Aave, Shiba Inu, and more, but you can also sell and swap tokens. In order to fund your account, you can either make contributions yourself or roll over your existing IRAs and 401ks to BitcoinIRA.

However, you will not be able to transfer any cryptocurrencies you already own to a BitcoinIRA account. Most importantly, it is crucial to understand that BitcoinIRA is a custodial platform – meaning, you will be handing over your assets to this company when you open a retirement account.

In order to ensure the safety of your funds, BitcoinIRA ensures that the assets on its platform are insured for up to $700 million with BitGo Trust and their insurance provider Lloyd’s of London. Moreover, BitcoinIRA also provides financial statements – which can alleviate the burden when you are filing your taxes.

On top of cryptocurrencies, BitcoinIRA also lets you invest in physical gold bars and receive ownership rights in return. To get started, you will need to make a minimum investment of $3,000. In case you want to open your IRA account with a smaller sum, you can consider the platform’s Saver IRAs.

With this option, you can contribute an amount of as little as $100 every month by connecting a checking or savings account. Your funds will then be automatically invested in the digital coins of your choosing.

Another interesting feature of BitcoinIRA is that it lets you earn interest on your IRA account by lending out your digital assets. This program is facilitated by a third-party provider called Genesis and is available for cash, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. You can earn as much as 6% from these crypto interest accounts and receive payouts every month without having to lock up your assets.

However, you will need a $10,000 minimum per coin to participate in this IRA Earn program. In terms of fees, BitcoinIRA levies a one-time service charge of 2.99%. You will also be charged 1% of your account balance every year as storage and security fees. When buying and selling digital assets via BitGo from your BitcoinIRA account, you will also have to pay a 2% fee.

What We Like:

2. iTrustCapital – Top Crypto IRA Account With Low Fees

iTrustCapital lets you buy and trade 28 different cryptocurrencies, which include Bitcoin, altcoins, and many popular DeFi coins. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and cater to the needs of both novices and experienced crypto investors. You will also be able to receive all necessary IRS and tax reporting documents related to your crypto IRA investments.

iTrustCapital also gives you access to investments in physical metals such as gold and silver via this platform. This crypto IRA company has partnered with Coinbase in order to ensure the safe custody of your digital assets. The platform has also taken a commercial crime policy of $320 million with the aim to provide more security for your funds.

What we like most about iTrustCapital is its fee structure. The platform charges no setup or monthly maintenance fees. The only time you will be charged is when you buy cryptocurrencies or sell them – which will cost you 1%. If you are to invest in gold or silver, the transaction fee will amount to $50 and $2.50, respectively.

To open your crypto retirement account with iTrustCapital, you will need to fill out an application and provide your personal details. Then, it is only a matter of choosing the type of IRA you want to open and how you plan to transfer funds. Your account will be fully equipped within a few days and you will be able to trade cryptocurrencies right away.

What We Like:

3. Alto Crypto IRA – Popular Crypto IRA Account With Low Minimums

Alto Crypto IRA presents you with choices of traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE IRA, and 401(k) retirement plans when you set up your account. The platform also connects directly with Coinbase so that you can buy, sell, and trade digital assets using your retirement savings.

In terms of supported assets, you will find that this provider lists over 135 crypto tokens and offers 24/7 access to the digital currency markets. Moreover, the platform requires a minimum investment of just $10.

The provider also offers a free concierge service to help walk you through the entire process of applying for an account. Once set up, you can purchase digital assets with your credit card or by transferring funds from an existing retirement account.

Since your assets are stored with Coinbase Custody, they will also be insured with the $320 million insurance policy taken by the provider. Moreover, any undirected cash in your Alto Crypto IRA will also be held in FDIC-insured accounts.

In case you are looking to open a retirement account for other assets, you will also find that Alto IRAs are available for non-crypto-related investments. In terms of Alto Crypto IRA fees, you will be pleased to know that the provider follows a low-cost pricing structure.

There are no account or maintenance fees – instead, you will only be charged if you place trades – which will cost you 1%. Account closures and outbound wire transfers are also charged $50 and $25 respectively.

What We Like:

4. BitIRA – Trusted Crypto IRA Account for Security

BitIRA claims to offer end-to-end insurance coverage for your crypto IRA accounts. According to the provider, this means that everything from theft, fraud, and mistakes to hacking is covered. Your funds will be insured throughout the transaction phases as well as during the storage stage, via the provider Genesis.

Moreover, your digital assets will be stored in offline cold wallets. However, when compared to the other providers, you will find that BitIRA falls short when it comes to the number of cryptocurrencies supported.

At the time of writing, BitIRA lets you purchase only nine digital coins – namely, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Chainlink, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, Zcash, Stellar Lumens, and Aave.

Moreover, the platform requires a minimum investment of $5,000. It is up to you to decide whether you want to open a new crypto IRA account or rollover your assets from another custodian. Regardless of what you choose, you will be working with a digital currency specialist, when opening your IRA account, so that you have easy access to customer support.

That said, BitIRA does not explicitly state how much it charges for its Bitcoin IRA accounts. Although there are no monthly fees as of writing, the platform might charge for storage and account setups. Since BitIRA charges a different fee for each account, it would be best to contact the team to know more about its pricing structure.

What We Like:

5. Coin IRA – Great Crypto IRA Account with Multiple Storage Options 

Coin IRA sets itself apart by offering a variety of cryptocurrency services. It offers three types of accounts – IRA custody, non-IRA custody, and personal custody. With the first two options, your funds will be stored by the custodian – eliminating the need for you to worry about safeguarding your private keys.

If you choose the personal custody option, you will be able to choose the type of wallet solution you prefer. This could be a hard or software wallet, or an online exchange. When setting up an IRA custody account, you will receive full guidance from a Coin IRA retirement specialist, who will walk you through the entire process.

While CoinIRA offers flexibility, it gives you access to only eight cryptocurrencies. You will have the option to buy Bitcoin and other assets such as Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Chainlink, ZCash, Litecoin, Dash, and Stellar Lumens. Moreover, to carry out purchases, you will have to work with a specialist via telephone or email.

The fees charged by CoinIRA will ultimately depend on your contribution. Therefore we suggest that you contact your personal customer service representative to get the specific numbers. However, you can expect to pay for the initial setup, maintenance, and storage, and will be required to cover the cost of transactions.

What We Like:

Top 5 Bitcoin IRA Accounts Compared

Below we have compiled the features and fees of the top five crypto IRA accounts – so you can compare providers and pick a platform that best fits your needs.

As we noted in our Bitcoin IRA reviews, each platform has its own strengths and shortcomings. Therefore, we suggest that you consider your specific requirements before choosing the best crypto IRA account for your retirement plans.

What is a Crypto IRA Account?

Crypto IRA accounts allow you to buy and sell digital assets in a tax-efficient way.

For example:

• Let’s say that you buy $1,000 worth of Bitcoin and then cash out a few years later at $2,000.
• This means that you have made $1,000 in capital gains – on which you would be required to pay taxes.
• On the other hand, if you made the investment via an IRA for crypto, some or even all of this can be shielded from tax liabilities.

In other words, crypto IRA companies present you with a unique benefit of tax-free trading.

The best Bitcoin IRA accounts also allow you to buy, sell, and trade digital assets from within the platform. Some providers – such as BitcoinIRA, also allow you to earn interest on Ethereum and other coins.

Why Invest in a Bitcoin IRA?

A crypto retirement plan offers investors several advantages, such as:

Tax Advantages

Needless to say, the most notable benefit of using an IRA for crypto investments is to enjoy tax exemptions.

When you are buying and selling digital assets via a brokerage account, it can be a nightmare to keep track of gains in order to calculate the taxes owed.

When using a Bitcoin IRA, your funds won’t be taxed for as long as they remain in your account.

Potential to Generate High Returns

It goes without saying that cryptocurrencies are volatile investment products.

That said, this volatility can also lead to potential gains.

• For example, the value of Bitcoin has increased by millions of percentage points since it was launched in 2009
• Ethereum, the second most popular digital asset, has seen its value go up by over 40,000% from the time it was released.
• However, it is pertinent that you are aware of the risks and that you do your own homework when deciding on the specific digital assets for your crypto retirement account.

As you can see, if you are looking to promote the growth potential of your long-term portfolio, a Bitcoin IRA can be a viable option.

However, given the volatile nature of digital assets, it is also crucial that you are aware of the risks involved as well as the rules to follow before you proceed.

Diversification

Typically, retirements accounts contain traditional financial vehicles such as stocks and mutual funds.

When choosing to open a Bitcoin IRA, you are investing in an asset class that is not at all correlated to conventional financial instruments. And as such, this can help diversify your retirement balance.

Are Crypto IRAs Taxed?

As per the IRS Notice, cryptocurrencies are considered property – such as the like of stocks, real estate, or mutual funds.

Generally, any gains generated from the purchase or sales of these capital assets are not taxed – as long as the income remains within an IRA.

However, it is crucial to bear in mind that you will have to pay tax when you make a withdrawal from your IRA. This will depend on the type of crypto retirement account you choose.

Bitcoin Traditional IRA

A traditional IRA for crypto gives you a tax write-off every time you inject money. Additionally, you can also make an unlimited number of crypto trades within this type of retirement account.

However, you will pay taxes on the amount you withdraw after you have retired.

Moreover, if you wish to cash out your funds from a traditional crypto IRA before your specific retirement age, you might also get penalized by paying all of the income taxes you deferred on deposits and gains.

As you can imagine, if the value of the cryptocurrency you deposited is to increase over the course of many years, you might end up paying a substantial amount of tax when you cash out.

Bitcoin Roth IRA

If you choose a Roth IRA for crypto, you can make contributions only from your earned income that has already been taxed. Like Traditional IRAs, you can place trades within your account without any tax implications.

However, since you already paid taxes on your deposit, you will not be liable to pay anything additional on any potential gains.

This makes a crypto Roth IRA one of the most tax-efficient ways to invest in digital assets. That said, the catch is that not everyone has access to the best Bitcoin Roth IRA accounts discussed on this page.

Nonetheless, when you use a Bitcoin retirement account to purchase digital assets, there is generally no tax imposed on any income or gains.

What Cryptos Can You Invest in Through an IRA?

If you are looking to create a crypto retirement account, then it is always better to diversify your investments. Therefore, the best crypto IRA account for your needs might be the one that supports a large number of digital assets.

For instance, Bitcoin IRA lets you invest in 60+ digital tokens via an IRA account, whereas Alto Crypto IRA supports more than 135+ digital assets.

Regardless, most of the crypto retirement accounts that we reviewed today at least support the following digital tokens:

• Bitcoin (BTC)
• Ethereum (ETH)
• Ethereum Classic (ETC)
• Litecoin (LTC)
• Stellar Lumens (XLM)
• Chainlink (LINK)
• ZCash (ZCASH)
• Dash (DASH)

The number of digital coins supported is a key component to factor in when choosing the best crypto IRA account. If you want to diversify, it will be wise to use a platform such as BitcoinIRA – which gives you access to a large library of digital assets.

Bitcoin IRA Fees Explained 

When searching for the best Bitcoin IRA accounts for 2022 – you will notice that fees will vary from one provider to another.

As such, be sure to consider the following charges when opening a crypto IRA account:

• Initial set-up fee
• Maintenance fee
• Storage fee
• Transaction fee

On top of this, some platforms also charge extra for processing rollovers from your previous IRA accounts.

We suggest that you consult the customer service representative of your chosen Bitcoin IRA to get a clearer idea of the fees involved for your personal circumstances.

How to Apply for a Crypto IRA Account

If you are looking to set up your crypto retirement plan right now – this section of our guide will show you how to apply for an account with BitcoinIRA.

As noted earlier, BitcoinIRA is perhaps the best crypto IRA account in terms of simplicity, flexibility, safety, and fees To get started, you can open a BitcoinIRA account in five easy steps.

Step 1: Create a Bitcoin IRA Account

If you think BitcoinIRA is the best crypto IRA account for you, then you can proceed to the provider’s website and start your application process.

This only requires you to provide your full name, email address, and phone number.

You will also need to assign your account with a password. You can then use the ‘Create An Account’ button to go to the next step.

Step 2: Provide Account Holder Information

In the next step, you will need to provide some personal information – such as the type of account you want to open and the details of the IRA you wish to roll over.

You will also need to enter the following details:

• Home address
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• Government ID number

You will also need to enter the amount you would like to transfer. As we noted earlier in our Bitcoin IRA review, the minimum is set at $3,000 for all accounts, except the Saver IRA.

Step 3: Submit KYC Documents

In order to complete the verification process, you will be required to provide an identification document – such as your driver’s license or passport. Make sure that the ID card you provide matches the information you entered in the previous step.

In case you are planning to roll over your assets from another platform, you will also need to attach a financial statement from your existing custodian.

Once you have submitted your ID, you can follow the on-screen instructions and sign your registration documents electronically.

Step 4: Enter Beneficiary Details 

The last part of the BitcoinIRA application process is to include the details of your beneficiaries. This will require you to provide information such as the full name of your nominee, date of birth, percentage share, and social security number.

It is possible to add one or more beneficiaries as needed. After reviewing all the information you have provided, you can submit the application.

Step 5: Start Trading

Your BitcoinIRA account will be ready in 3-5 days. Once your funds have arrived, you can sign in and access your dashboard.

As noted earlier, you will also be able to track your portfolio and follow live crypto prices of supported assets. You can also buy, sell, and swap over 60 digital assets directly from your BitcoinIRA account.

Are Crypto IRA Accounts Safe?

First and foremost, cryptocurrency investments always carry an enhanced amount of risk. After all, this asset class is known for its notorious volatility, with prices swinging drastically from one minute to the next.

• Even the best crypto IRA accounts do not allow you to withdraw your funds before you reach a specific age without a penalty.
• In other words, we would suggest that you assess your risk tolerance before choosing the best crypto IRA account for your financial investments.
• In terms of safety, the majority of the best crypto IRA accounts that we reviewed today offer insurance for your funds.
• All the crypto IRA companies we discussed in this guide also claim to store digital assets in cold wallets.

Regardless, it is important that you conduct independent research, and if necessary, contact the customer support team of your chosen crypto IRA account provide – should you need any clarification regarding insurance as well as the safety of your assets.

eToro – Best Alternative to Crypto IRA Accounts

Although this platform doesn’t offer a Bitcoin IRA, eToro is a viable alternative if you’re looking to generate a return on your crypto savings. eToro has a stellar reputation within the crypto trading scene, boasting over 24 million registered users. On top of this, eToro is also regulated by leading institutions such as the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FinCEN, and FINRA – offering an unparalleled level of investor protection.

eToro solidifies itself as one of the best crypto exchanges on the market since users can invest in over 60 cryptocurrencies. In terms of fees, eToro charges a flat 1% commission on each crypto trade, along with the spread. This spread is often highly competitive, ensuring that the process is much more cost-effective than many Bitcoin IRA accounts.

There are no deposit fees when funding your eToro account in USD, with the platform supporting deposits via credit/debit card, bank transfer, and e-wallet (e.g. PayPal). eToro’s minimum deposit threshold is only $10, making the platform accessible to beginner traders. Furthermore, eToro charges no ongoing monthly fees, making it the best place to invest in crypto in a low-fee manner.

eToro is also ideal if you’re interested in social trading cryptocurrency due to the platform’s CopyTrader and CopyPortfolio features. The former allows you to automatically copy the trades placed by experienced eToro users – with the average return of the 50 most copied traders equating to 30.4% in 2021. The CopyPortfolio feature also offers a viable alternative to crypto IRA accounts, with the ‘CryptoPortfolio’ providing broad exposure to the digital currencies sector – with no management fees whatsoever.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

Conclusion

In this guide, we have reviewed the best crypto IRA accounts for 2022. However, you should always bear in mind that digital assets are inherently volatile and thus – represent an enhanced risk to your retirement funds.

Therefore, be sure to understand both the tax advantages and risk implications before you invest any capital. Nonetheless, we found that BitcoinIRA is the overall best crypto IRA account based on security, low fees, and supported digital currencies.

However, if you’re looking for an alternative way to save and earn on your cryptos, eToro is our recommended platform. Although eToro doesn’t offer a Bitcoin IRA, the platform does allow users to invest in over 60 different cryptocurrencies. What’s more, eToro’s CopyTrader feature even provides a way to automate the entire trading process – creating a pathway to regular passive returns.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

Frequently Asked Questions on Crypto IRA Accounts