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Bitcoin IRA vs. Unchained: Two bitcoin IRAs — one holds your keys, one has you hold them.

Last reviewed Common questionsMethodology

About Bitcoin IRA

IRA

Bitcoin IRA is a US retirement-account platform founded in 2016 that supports 80+ cryptocurrencies plus physical gold inside a tax-advantaged IRA. Custody is provided by BitGo (with Digital Trust LLC as IRA custodian of record), and BitGo provides $250M in custody insurance. Bitcoin IRA added staking for ETH, SOL, and ADA in 2025. The model is fully custodial: the client does not hold any private keys inside the IRA.

Who each is for

Bitcoin IRA is for

Retirement holders who want to add altcoins, gold, or staking yield to a tax-advantaged account, and who prefer the operational simplicity of fully custodial bitcoin storage.

Unchained is for

Retirement holders who want a bitcoin-only IRA where they hold 2-of-3 keys directly, with no altcoin or staking exposure.

Bitcoin IRA
Unchained
Trading fee
Not applicable
1.00% standard tier. 0.75% Signature tier.
Minimum purchase
Not applicable
$2,000
Recurring / DCA
Not applicable
Not offered
OTC / large trades
Not applicable
Primary buy channel for all vault clients.
Settlement
Not applicable
Into your multisig vault.
Custody model
Not applicable
Collaborative multisig
Key distribution
Not applicable
Client holds 2 keys, Unchained holds 1 key.
Default structure
Not applicable
2-of-3
Other configurations
Not applicable
Quorums up to 15-of-16 are supported on the Signature tier. Connections allow sharing keys with trusted parties.
Recovery if a key is lost
Not applicable
Loss of 1 key is recoverable. The remaining 2 keys still meet the 2-of-3 threshold.
Hardware wallets
Not applicable
Ledger, Trezor, Coldcard, BitBox, Blockstream Jade
Annual cost
Not applicable
$250/year per vault
Default process
Not applicable
Executor locates 1 client key and contacts Unchained with the Inheritance Protocol documents.
Heir technical knowledge required
Not applicable
No bitcoin knowledge required. Executor follows written instructions.
Waiting period
Not applicable
None
Executable without company involvement
Not applicable
Yes. The client's 2 keys remain operable independently of Unchained.
Cost or included tier
Not applicable
Included with Signature. Protocol materials are also available separately.
Account types
Traditional, Roth, SEP
Traditional, Roth, SEP
Key control
No. Digital Trust LLC and BitGo hold all keys.
Client holds 2-of-3 keys in a dedicated IRA vault.
IRA custodian
Digital Trust LLC is the IRA custodian. BitGo is the qualified bitcoin custodian.
Fortis Bank (Colorado-chartered, FDIC-supervised)
Account minimum
Not disclosed. Historical sources cite approximately $3,000.
No minimum balance. $2,000 minimum per trade.
Trading fee
Approximately 2% per transaction per third-party analyses. Not published as a flat rate.
1.50% per trade
Annual fee
$20/month minimum, with AUM-based percentages above that.
$250/year per IRA vault
Lender of record
Not applicable
Unchained (direct lender)
Eligible borrowers
Not applicable
Business entities only (LLC, corporation, single-member LLC)
Minimum loan
Not applicable
$150,000
Interest rate
Not applicable
12.0%
LTV at origination
Not applicable
50% at origination
Collateral custody during loan
Not applicable
Unchained and Fortis Bank each hold one key, which prevents any party from moving bitcoin unilaterally.
RIA
✕
✓
DAF
✕
✓
Trust entity
Not applicable
Gannett Trust Company, LLC
Jurisdiction / charter
Not applicable
Wyoming (chartered May 2025)
Services offered
Not applicable
Personal trust administration, corporate bitcoin treasury, qualified custody, dynasty trusts, and inheritance and estate planning.
Key control
Not applicable
Client-directed. Supports both collaborative custody and qualified custodian configurations.
Minimum assets
Not applicable
Not disclosed
Tier name
Not applicable
Signature
Annual cost
Not applicable
Personal: $6,000 first year, $4,500 renewal. Business: $7,500/year.
Dedicated contact
Not applicable
Dedicated relationship manager with same-day emergency support.
Included services
Not applicable
Vault setup, 2 premium hardware wallets, security reviews, ongoing education, and inheritance setup.
Founded
2016
2016
Client funds lent
Custodial. Client assets are pooled at BitGo, and staking products lend client assets.
Not applicable. No client funds are held, and loans are not rehypothecated.
Proof of reserves
Not disclosed. BitGo provides $250M of custody insurance.
Not applicable. The client holds their own keys, verifiable on-chain.
SOC certifications
BitGo holds SOC 2 Type II
SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II
US availability
Most states
Most states (varies by product)
International availability
No
No

Common questions

Bitcoin IRA carries $250M of BitGo custody insurance against theft or loss of custodied assets. Unchained does not carry insurance on client bitcoin because the client holds their own keys; the protection mechanism is direct key control rather than insurance backstopping a third-party custodian. Neither approach is strictly safer; they are different structural protections.
No, Unchained is focused on bitcoin-only services, and views bitcoin as the most secure digital asset for long-term savings. For retirement holders who want bitcoin-only exposure with client key control, only Unchained offers that combination.
Bitcoin IRA's fee structure (transaction fees plus monthly/AUM fees) compounds with trading frequency and account size. Unchained's flat $250/year per IRA account plus 1.5% trading fee is predictable regardless of frequency. For very small accounts the monthly minimum at Bitcoin IRA can be cheaper; for accounts above approximately $20,000–$30,000, Unchained's flat fee structure becomes more cost-effective.
Yes. Bitcoin IRA permits in-kind transfers of BTC to other IRA providers, so you can transfer your bitcoin from Bitcoin IRA to Unchained without first liquidating to cash. Unchained's IRA accepts rollovers from 401(k), 403(b), 403(a), 457, TSP, and other IRAs.
Standard IRA beneficiary designations apply, but no proprietary inheritance protocol beyond that. Unchained's Inheritance Protocol is a dedicated process designed for bitcoin-specific inheritance challenges (key succession, executor education, physical documentation).

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About this guide

These comparisons are maintained by Unchained. We have tried to represent every service accurately and fairly, and where another service does something well that Unchained does not, we say so. Unchained appears as the reference point throughout because every page is built around a single question: how does this service differ from Unchained? That framing is why Unchained is more prominently featured, not because we consider it the default right answer for every reader.

Disclaimer: Unchained's product and service availability may vary by state. Nothing on this page is investment, tax, legal, or financial advice. Investment advisory services are offered only through Gannett Wealth Advisors. Consult your own advisors before making any financial decision. All financial products involve risk, including loss of principal. Bitcoin is volatile, and past performance does not guarantee future results.

This comparison is provided for informational purposes only and is current as of May 2026. Information about other companies is compiled from publicly available sources, including each company's documentation, regulatory filings, terms of service, and third-party reviews. Offerings, fees, terms, and state availability change frequently and may have changed since publication. Verify all information directly with each company before transacting.

References to other companies are for comparison purposes only and do not imply endorsement, partnership, sponsorship, or affiliation. All third-party names and marks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification only. Reviewed quarterly; corrections will be addressed within five business days. If you represent a company listed here and/or believe information is inaccurate, fill out a feedback form.

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