The fourth-largest US broker, Interactive Brokers, is making a significant move toward institutional integration of digital assets. The company has not only added nine new tokens for trading but also implemented two-way stablecoin transfers, fundamentally changing the convenience of the platform for retail and professional clients.
Nine Newcomers and the Paxos Gold Token
The listing was facilitated through two key crypto infrastructure partners — Zero Hash and Paxos. Through Zero Hash, AAVE, APT, CC, LDO, MON, NEAR, XPL, PAXG, and UNI became available. Notably, three tokens — AAVE, UNI, and PAXG — also appeared via Paxos, indicating the broker's drive to diversify liquidity providers.
Pax Gold (PAXG) deserves special attention. This token is backed by physical gold stored in professional vaults. Each such token is tied to a specific bar, making it an ideal tool for those seeking inflation protection without dealing with physical metal.
Revolution in Withdrawals: Stablecoins as a Bridge
The key innovation is the ability to withdraw dollars from an IBKR account to external wallets with automatic conversion into USDC, PYUSD, or RLUSD. Previously, such flexibility was only available for account funding. Now, clients can send funds to both custodial and non-custodial wallets, with transactions processing almost instantly and around the clock, including weekends and holidays.
According to Interactive Brokers CEO Milan Galik, the company aims to make digital assets an integral part of the client's overall financial experience. Stablecoins are becoming an increasingly common payment method, and the broker intends to provide access to them on par with other global markets.
Unified Platform and Low Fees
Interactive Brokers continues to adhere to a low-cost strategy. Crypto trading fees start at 0.12–0.18% of the amount with a minimum of $1.75 per order, with no spreads, markups, or custody fees. This makes the platform one of the most attractive for active traders.
Additionally, the entire ecosystem operates within a single interface. Cryptocurrency can be traded alongside stocks, options, futures, bonds, and funds without switching between applications. Previously, BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA, LINK, and other assets were already available through Zero Hash.
Expert Opinion: This move by Interactive Brokers is not just an expansion of the product line but a signal of market maturity. The introduction of two-way stablecoin transfers and the addition of assets like PAXG indicate that traditional brokers are beginning to view cryptocurrencies not as a speculative tool but as a full-fledged asset class for portfolio diversification. For institutional investors, this lowers entry barriers and increases liquidity.