Clients Can Fund IBKR Accounts Via USDC 

The boundary between traditional finance and crypto continues to fade. Interactive Brokers, a heavyweight in online brokerage, brings new proof by allowing account funding via USDC. This stablecoin, pegged to the dollar, thus becomes a bridge between two worlds long opposed. Behind this decision is a clear desire to accelerate the modernization of global financial flows, bypassing the limits of traditional banking systems.

A functional integration of the USDC stablecoin at Interactive Brokers

On January 15, Interactive Brokers (IBKR), global giant of online brokerage, announced that its clients can now fund their trading accounts by depositing USDC, the stablecoin issued by Circle, while these cryptos could cause a massive flight of bank deposits.

This feature relies on a partnership with the crypto infrastructure Zero Hash, which allows automatic and instant processing of USDC deposits. These are directly converted into US dollars upon receipt and credited without delay to the user’s account.

“Stablecoin deposits are converted to US dollars upon receipt and credited immediately,” the company said in its official statement. By offering 24/7 access to this type of funding, IBKR intends to free itself from the traditional constraints of bank transfers, both costly and dependent on bank opening hours.

This novelty marks a strategic step for IBKR, responding to a growing demand from international investors, often faced with frustrating bank delays. As explained CEO Milan Galik : “Stablecoin funding offers international investors the speed and flexibility required by today’s markets.” He adds : “Clients can transfer funds and begin trading within minutes, while reducing transaction costs.”

In practice, here are the main terms of the service :

• Supported stablecoin : USDC (USD Coin), issued by Circle ;
• Automatic conversion to USD upon receipt on client account ;
• Compatible blockchains : Ethereum, Solana, and Base;
• Technical partner : Zero Hash, a regulated crypto infrastructure operator ;
• Availability : service active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, uninterrupted ;
• Planned extension : other stablecoins like PayPal USD and Ripple USD will be integrated from the following week.

This initiative is not limited to a technical innovation. It aims to solve a structural problem in traditional finance, while positioning IBKR as one of the first large-scale brokers to fully integrate blockchain-based flows.

A broader opening strategy to stablecoins

This announcement is part of a global strategy to open up to stable digital currencies. Interactive Brokers has indeed indicated that other stablecoins, notably PayPal USD (PYUSD) and Ripple USD, will be added from the following week.

This is therefore not an isolated experiment, but rather a gradual integration of a stablecoin ecosystem within brokerage services. A dynamic all the more significant as the company had previously considered launching its own stablecoin. This diversification of funding methods responds to a logic of competitiveness in an increasingly interconnected and fast-paced financial environment.

The announcement also comes in the context of massive expansion of the stablecoin market. Indeed, the total capitalization of these assets exceeded 310 billion dollars in early January 2026, after a +46.8 % growth in 2025. This growth was largely driven by the three giants of the sector : Tether (USDT), USDC, and Ethena Labs’ USDe, a yield-bearing stablecoin.

Simultaneously, IBKR continues to expand its crypto offering : after Bitcoin and Ethereum in 2021, tokens like Solana and XRP joined the platform during 2025, strengthening its positioning on the crypto market, despite recurring crashes.