Interactive Brokers Launches 24/7 Stablecoin Funding for 170 Markets

Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Interactive Brokers Launches 24/7 Stablecoin Funding for 170 Markets Original Link: A major global electronic brokerage expanded its funding capabilities as digital assets gain deeper traction in traditional finance. Interactive Brokers announced that eligible clients can now fund brokerage accounts 24/7 using stablecoins, broadening access across its international platform.

The new funding method enables near-instant processing with continuous availability, including weekends and holidays, reducing reliance on traditional bank wire schedules. According to the firm’s leadership, stablecoin funding provides international investors with the speed and flexibility required in today’s markets. Clients can transfer funds and begin trading within minutes, while also reducing transaction costs.

Addressing Legacy Banking Friction

Stablecoin funding addresses a critical pain point in accessing global capital markets. Traditional cross-border funding has remained a significant challenge for international investors, particularly in regions where USD wires are expensive, slow, or require multiple correspondent banking relationships. This highlights how legacy banking infrastructure can delay settlement and increase costs for international participants, while blockchain-based transfers operate continuously and without geographic banking constraints, enabling faster entry to more than 170 global markets.

Implementation and Expansion Plans

Clients can fund their accounts with USDC (a digital asset backed 1:1 by the US dollar) from their crypto wallet to a secure wallet provided through a collaboration with Zerohash. The broker plans to add support for additional stablecoins in the coming weeks.

Once received, the stablecoin is automatically converted into US dollars and credited to the client’s brokerage account. The broker does not charge fees for stablecoin deposits, while blockchain network costs remain the responsibility of clients. Zerohash applies a 0.30% conversion fee per deposit with a $1 minimum. Eligibility varies by client, positioning the offering as a lower-cost, always-on alternative to traditional international funding channels.