- The new feature lets clients transfer funds directly from their crypto wallets to trading accounts.
- Stablecoin deposits are positioned as an additional funding method rather than a replacement for existing cash transfer options.
Interactive Brokers Group Inc. has started to let retail investors fund individual brokerage accounts with stablecoins, highlighting how cash-like crypto tokens move deeper into mainstream finance, Bloomberg reported.
The feature allows clients to move funds directly from cryptocurrency wallets into their trading accounts instead of relying only on bank transfers. The firm is rolling out the option in stages, beginning with a section of eligible US customers before a broader expansion.
The stablecoin funding feature appears as an extra on-ramp alongside existing cash transfer methods, rather than a replacement for them. For now, the broker frames it as another way to top up accounts quickly, especially for clients who already keep balances in cryptocurrencies.
Clients initiate transfers from their own crypto wallets, with the broker crediting the brokerage account once the stablecoin transaction settles on-chain. This setup reduces dependence on traditional rails such as wires and ACH, which can take longer to clear and may involve higher fees for active traders.
See Related: Blockchain Association Sues IRS Over New Crypto Broker Reporting Rules
Strategy behind The Stablecoin Push
Chairman Thomas Peterffy first flagged the move at a Goldman Sachs financial services conference, presenting stablecoin deposits as part of a broader effort to stay competitive in the retail brokerage market. The firm sees faster funding as one way to keep pace with platforms that already lean heavily into crypto, including app-based brokers popular with retail traders.
Interactive Brokers has already expanded its digital asset footprint over the past two years, adding cryptocurrency trading for various jurisdictions and investing in infrastructure providers such as Zerohash to support token transfers and custody.
Alongside stocks, options, and futures, Interactive Brokers offers event-based contracts that let clients take positions on economic and other real-world outcomes, sometimes described as prediction markets.
Adding stablecoin deposits fits into that pattern, as both event contracts and crypto funding rails target traders who want around-the-clock access and quick capital movement across products. Faster account top-ups may matter for users who respond to macro data, policy decisions, or market shocks in near real time.
