Interactive Brokers is exploring the launch of its own stablecoin, joining a growing list of major financial firms moving deeper into crypto as U.S. regulators take a lighter hand with the industry.
In an interview with Reuters, founder Thomas Peterffy said the company hasn’t made a final call but is considering ways to offer stablecoins to customers. The firm is also working on enabling 24/7 stablecoin funding for brokerage accounts and easier transfers of popular digital assets.
“There’s still a lot that’s unclear about the fundamental value of crypto,” Peterffy said. “But if enough people decide it’s useful and hold value in it, I’m fine with that — even if I’m not fully convinced yet.”
Interactive Brokers, which manages roughly $110 billion in market value and 3.87 million customer accounts, already offers crypto trading via its partnerships with Paxos and Zero Hash. It’s one of the largest discount brokers in the U.S., and like others in the space, has seen activity rise in a year marked by market volatility tied to U.S. trade policy.
Its stock is up 47% so far this year, outpacing the broader S&P 500 brokerage index.
If it moves ahead, the firm could issue its own token or allow clients to fund their accounts with stablecoins from other issuers — depending on how trustworthy those providers are seen to be.
Stablecoins, which mirror the value of fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, let users move money across borders without the delays and costs of traditional banks. They’ve gained popularity in global markets, but critics warn that the lack of banking oversight can make them attractive to bad actors looking to dodge anti-money laundering checks.
The brokerage’s interest comes on the heels of Robinhood’s launch of its own dollar-pegged stablecoin, USDG, developed through the Global Dollar Network consortium alongside Paxos, Kraken, and Galaxy Digital.
Interactive Brokers began its crypto journey in July 2021, initially targeting retail investors. Shortly after, the company expanded crypto trading to institutional customers in the United States. The company extended its services to UK customers in 2024, allowing both retail and institutional investors to trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash, alongside the traditional investment products offered by IBKR.
Interactive Brokers is also experimenting in other areas, including a predictions market platform called ForecastEx, where traders can buy binary “yes” or “no” contracts tied to real-world events. Morningstar analysts noted that the firm’s moves into crypto and predictions markets may help buffer its traditional trading business against future disruptions.
