Interactive Brokers, one of the world’s best-known online brokerage firms, is taking another step toward blending traditional finance with digital assets. The Nasdaq-listed company (IBKR) announced it will now allow clients to fund their trading accounts using Circle’s USDC stablecoin at any time, removing the limits imposed by banking hours and wire transfers.
The change opens the door to true 24/7 trading for eligible users, a feature that has long been standard in crypto markets but largely unavailable in traditional brokerage accounts. By using stablecoins, Interactive Brokers says it can offer faster, cheaper, and more accessible funding for investors around the world.
In a statement released Thursday, the firm highlighted the limitations of conventional payment rails. Wire transfers, while reliable, are often slow, costly, and restricted to local business hours. Stablecoins, by contrast, move on blockchain networks that operate continuously, making them better suited to modern, always-on markets.
“Stablecoin funding provides international investors with the speed and flexibility required in today’s markets,” said Interactive Brokers CEO Milan Galik. “Clients can transfer funds and begin trading within minutes, while also reducing transaction costs.”
How the USDC funding works
The new funding option is powered by Zerohash, a business-to-business crypto and stablecoin infrastructure provider. Interactive Brokers has an existing relationship with Zerohash and first introduced USDC funding for retail brokerage accounts in December, according to Bloomberg.
Under the current setup, clients can send USDC from their personal crypto wallets to a secure wallet generated by Zerohash. The service initially supports transfers on Ethereum, Solana, and Base. Once the USDC is received, it is automatically converted into U.S. dollars and credited to the client’s brokerage account.
Zerohash charges a conversion fee of 0.30% per deposit, with a minimum fee of $1, in addition to standard blockchain network fees. Zerohash is backed by Interactive Brokers and has drawn wider industry attention in recent months, with reports suggesting Mastercard had explored acquiring the firm for up to $2 billion, though the status of those talks remains unclear.
More stablecoins on the way
Interactive Brokers is not stopping with USDC. The company plans to add support for additional stablecoins, including Ripple’s RLUSD and PayPal’s PYUSD, potentially as soon as next week. The move signals growing confidence among established financial firms in regulated, dollar-backed digital currencies.
The brokerage has been steadily expanding its digital asset offerings. Founded in 1978, Interactive Brokers built its reputation on low fees and electronic trading. It entered the crypto space in late 2021 through a partnership with Paxos, initially offering trading and custody for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. Last year, it broadened that list to include Solana, Cardano, XRP, and Dogecoin.
According to a Reuters report from last year, Interactive Brokers has also explored the idea of launching its own stablecoin, though no formal announcement has been made on that front.
A sign of shifting market expectations
The addition of 24/7 stablecoin funding reflects a broader shift in investor expectations. As global markets become more interconnected and digital-native traders look for speed and flexibility, traditional brokers face pressure to modernize their infrastructure.
By integrating stablecoins into its funding process, Interactive Brokers is positioning itself at the intersection of conventional finance and blockchain-based payments, without requiring clients to hold crypto inside their trading accounts.
