Interactive Brokers Expands Crypto Funding With Stablecoins

Interactive Brokers, a leading electronic brokerage firm, has enhanced its cryptocurrency services by enabling clients to fund their trading accounts using stablecoins. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve global market accessibility for its users.

The firm announced a partnership with zerohash, a stablecoin infrastructure provider, to facilitate account funding with USD Coin (USDC) across the Ethereum, Solana, and Base blockchains. This new feature aims to streamline the process of depositing funds for trading activities.

Upon deposit, stablecoins are automatically converted into U.S. dollars and credited to the clients' brokerage accounts, allowing for immediate trading. Interactive Brokers also indicated plans to introduce support for Ripple USD (RLUSD) and PayPal USD (PYUSD) in the near future.

Addressing Cross-Border Funding Challenges with Stablecoins

Interactive Brokers stated that this move is designed to tackle a significant challenge faced by international investors: the slow and costly nature of cross-border funding through traditional wire transfers.

In contrast to fiat transfers, which can be time-consuming and are restricted by banking hours, stablecoin deposits offer rapid settlement and reduced transaction fees.

"Stablecoin funding provides international investors with the speed and flexibility required in today’s markets,"

explained Interactive Brokers CEO Milan Galik, highlighting that clients can now transfer funds and commence trading within minutes. The company had previously introduced USDC funding for retail brokerage accounts in December and had reportedly explored the possibility of launching its own stablecoin earlier this year.

The Growing Influence of Stablecoins in Financial Markets

Interactive Brokers first ventured into the cryptocurrency market in 2021, initially offering trading for Bitcoin and Ether. The firm expanded its digital asset offerings in 2025 to include other tokens such as Solana and XRP.

This expansion coincides with substantial growth in the stablecoin sector. Throughout 2025, stablecoins have seen increasing adoption by governments, financial institutions, and fintech companies exploring blockchain-based payment and settlement solutions.

The total market capitalization of stablecoins surpassed $300 billion for the first time in October, primarily driven by USDT, USDC, and Ethena Labs’ USDe. As of Friday, the sector's overall market value exceeds $310 billion, according to data from DefiLlama.