Bitcoin IRA

Three questions your Bitcoin IRA provider probably can't answer.

Most Bitcoin IRA comparisons focus on the wrong things. The questions that determine whether your bitcoin survives 20 years in a retirement account are different, and most providers haven't been asked them.

We'll walk through these questions for your specific situation and help you evaluate your options honestly — whether you end up working with us or not.

The Test

Does your provider pass?

01

CUSTODY

Who actually holds the keys to your IRA bitcoin and what happens if they fail?

Every Bitcoin IRA provider has a custody partner. Most use a single custodian — typically Coinbase, Fireblocks, or BitGo. Your bitcoin sits with one institution. One set of keys. One point of failure.

Ask your provider: if your custody partner experiences a breach, an insolvency event, or an operational failure, what happens to your IRA bitcoin? How long does recovery take? Is it even recoverable?

How Onramp answers this: Three independent institutions collaborate to secure your bitcoin. Two of three are needed to access it. If any single institution fails, including Onramp itself, your bitcoin is recoverable through the remaining key holders. Insurance through Lloyd's of London covers up to $100M per incident.

02

TRANSPARENCY

Can you verify right now that your bitcoin actually exists?

Log in to your current Bitcoin IRA. You'll see a balance. A number on a screen. But can you independently confirm that your bitcoin is actually sitting in a wallet, right now, on the Bitcoin blockchain?

At most providers, you can't. Your bitcoin is held in pooled wallets alongside hundreds of other clients' funds, managed by a single custodian. There's no wallet address you can look up.

How Onramp answers this: Every IRA client has their own segregated wallet, titled to their IRA. Only your bitcoin sits in that wallet. You can verify your holdings 24/7 using a block explorer, independently, off-platform, without relying on Onramp's dashboard.

03

LONG-TERM FIT

Will you outgrow your IRA provider before you retire?

Most Bitcoin IRA providers do one thing: hold crypto in a retirement account. Many spread their platform across 90+ cryptocurrencies, splitting engineering, security, and compliance resources across assets you don't hold.

What happens when your situation evolves? You want a taxable account with the same custody security. You need inheritance planning. You need a bitcoin-backed loan without selling. You want to set up a dynasty trust.

How Onramp answers this: Onramp does one thing deeper than anyone else: bitcoin. Taxable custody accounts, bitcoin brokerage, bitcoin-backed loans, dynasty trusts, inheritance planning, Guardian security, Lloyd's of London insurance, a dedicated human relationship, and a research team. Your IRA is the starting point, not the ceiling.

Honest Comparison

Fees tell you what you'll pay. Architecture tells you what you'll keep.

Who holds the keys?
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
One institution (typically Coinbase or Fireblocks)
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Three independent institutions (Onramp, BitGo, CoinCover)
How is your bitcoin stored?
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Pooled wallets — your bitcoin commingled with other clients. Balance shown on a dashboard. No independent verification.
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Segregated, client-titled wallet. Only your bitcoin in your wallet. Verifiable 24/7 on-chain via block explorer.
What if the custodian fails?
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Your bitcoin is exposed. Recovery depends on that institution's insolvency process.
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Two remaining key holders secure your bitcoin. No single point of failure.
Insurance
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Varies. Often undisclosed limits.
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Lloyd's of London. Up to $100M per incident. Terms published.
Inheritance
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Beneficiary form. Depends on provider's continued operation.
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Beneficiary form. Survives any single institution's failure.
Trading fee
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
1–2% per transaction (iTrustCapital: 1%)
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
0.65%
Custody fee
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Often $0 (subsidized by trading fees)
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
$100/month — includes three-custodian security, insurance, inheritance, and administration
In-kind bitcoin transfers
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Varies by provider
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Yes — transfer bitcoin directly without selling
Account types
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Traditional, Roth (varies)
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Traditional, Roth, SEP, Solo 401(k)
Bitcoin only or multi-asset?
Single-Custodian IRA (iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, Swan, Alto)
Multi-asset (90+ cryptos at some providers)
Onramp Multi-Institution Custody IRA
Bitcoin only. Every feature purpose-built for one asset.

Included in Every IRA

What you get with Onramp

  • Your bitcoin secured across three independent institutions — no single company can lose it
  • Lloyd's of London insurance on every account — up to $100M per incident
  • Onramp Guardian security — real-time monitoring, fraud prevention, risk controls
  • Inheritance planning built in — beneficiary designations, guided heir transfers
  • Segregated, client-titled wallets with on-chain verification
  • Heritage IRA handles all tax reporting, RMDs, and IRS compliance
  • 0.65% trading rate — lower than iTrustCapital, Bitcoin IRA, and most competitors
  • Direct relationship with a member of our team — not a chatbot

From Our Clients

Trusted by bitcoin investors like you

1,000+ clients trust Onramp with over $1 billion in bitcoin. Our IRA clients include long-term investors who choose multi-institution security for the accounts they plan to hold for decades.

Why Onramp

The comparison that matters.

1,000+Clients across 50 states
$1B+In bitcoin secured
$100MLloyd's of London insured
MultipleInstitutions and jurisdictions
IRSCompliant via Heritage IRA

Ask your provider these three questions. Then ask us.

Book a free IRA assessment. We'll answer all three for your specific situation, your current holdings, and your retirement timeline. If another provider is a better fit, we'll tell you.

Whether you end up working with us or not, you'll know exactly what to ask — and what the answers should sound like.