Interactive Brokers vs Pointpay: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Interactive Brokers and Pointpay This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 29, 2025

Interactive Brokers

Pointpay

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Interactive Brokers is ideal if:

Perfect for global-active traders: Ideal if you want deep, real-time access to dozens of international markets and advanced trade execution tools.
Great for portfolio diversifiers: Excellent choice if you aim to build a diversified, multi-asset portfolio using an all-in-one platform.
Strong for research-driven investors: Tailored for those who rely on rich analytics, extensive market data, and customizable tools to inform their decisions.

Pointpay is ideal if:

All-in-one crypto platform Seamlessly combines exchange, wallet, payment, and banking tools in one accessible ecosystem—not just trading.
Tailored for all experience levels Offers Classic and Advanced interfaces for seasoned users, plus Quick Exchange for newcomers for fast, intuitive trades.
Engaging community ecosystem Includes staking, Vault savings, educational Learn & Earn, a Launchpad, and competitions—great for active and curious users.

Interactive Brokers isn’t ideal if:

Not ideal for new investors: The platform’s advanced tools and steep learning curve can feel overwhelming to beginners.
Not ideal if you rely on high cash interest yields: Smaller account balances typically don’t earn meaningful interest on idle cash.
Not ideal if you need highly responsive support: Some users report challenges with support responsiveness and personalized assistance.

Pointpay isn’t ideal if:

Limited advanced trading Some users find it lacks powerful tools like leveraged futures or deep charting options for professional-grade strategies.
Occasional tech hiccups Reports of login issues, app performance quirks, and delayed customer responses suggest potential reliability concerns in mobile use.
Uncertain regulatory clarity Conflicting information surrounds its licensing and regulatory compliance, leading to varied user trust and coverage depending on region.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

IBKR charges between 0.18% and 0.12% of trade value depending on your monthly crypto trading volume—fees decrease at higher tiers (≤ $100k = 0.18%, $100k–$1M = 0.15%, > $1M = 0.12%)—no additional discounts for holding a native token.

PointPay charges a flat maker-taker rate around 0.05%, offering up to 35% fee discounts for users holding increasing amounts of PXP tokens, with no tiered volume brackets beyond the PXP-based loyalty levels.

Futures/Derivatives

For CME cryptocurrency futures like Bitcoin or Ethereum, fees are fixed per contract (e.g., Bitcoin Micro Futures range from $0.20 to $5 per contract depending on type and volume), with no explicit maker/taker split or funding fee details disclosed for crypto derivatives.

PointPay currently does not offer any futures or derivative trading, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees applicable.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

IBKR applies no added spreads or markups on crypto spot pairs, so spreads reflect raw market pricing without hidden cost.

While precise spread data isn’t published, the exchange is noted for offering competitive pricing that closely aligns with market prices on popular pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat funding supports standard bank methods (ACH, wire transfers), with typical timing of same or next business day, and IBKR does not tack on extra fees beyond those charged by your bank or processor.

Fiat deposits are facilitated via Mercuryo or MoonPay, and withdrawals are supported as well; deposits may include a small markup or cashback promotions but are generally straightforward, with processing times depending on the provider—often several hours to a couple of days.

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals incur network-based miner (gas) fees, dynamically set per blockchain network (e.g., BTC, ETH, TRX)—IBKR does not apply fixed withdrawal fees, only pass-through transaction costs.

Withdrawals incur network (miner) fees, varying by cryptocurrency and network conditions (e.g., BTC, ETH, TRX), rather than fixed platform fees, although PXP holders may enjoy reduced rates.

Hidden Costs

There are no inactivity fees or express-KYC surcharges, but costs may arise from currency conversion when trading non-USD balances, and VAT or GST may apply depending on your jurisdiction.

currency conversion, inactivity, expedited KYC, etc.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

You’d incur a fee of approximately ~0.18% (about €0.90) plus the market spread, and if you then withdrew on-chain you’d pay the dynamic network fee—so total cost is fee + spread + blockchain cost.

If you buy €500 worth of BTC, your total cost would derive from the spread between buy/sell prices, a trading fee (e.g., ~0.05% discounted if holding PXP), and a subsequent withdrawal fee based on chain congestion and asset network—without quoting specific numbers to keep it evergreen.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Interactive Brokers currently enables trading in up to 11 cryptocurrencies (including BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, ADA, SOL, XRP, DOGE, AVAX, LINK, SUI), but does not provide a full list of trading pairs by volume; generally, the highest-volume pairs are BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT given their market prevalence.

PointPay supports well over 140–200 cryptocurrencies with around 179–224 trading pairs available; top-20 volume pairs include BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDC, SOL/USDT, USDC/USDT and others such as DOGE, ADA, LINK, AVAX, BNB.

Product Range

The platform supports spot trading, crypto futures via CME, and access to crypto-based ETPs, but does not currently offer margin crypto trading, perpetual swaps, crypto options, staking/earn, loans, copy trading, grid bots, or auto-DCA features.

At present, PointPay offers spot trading, staking (Vaults and flexible/locked terms), NFT and Launchpad features, savings/earn programs, and a multi-currency wallet; however, there’s no margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, loans, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA at this stage.

Liquidity

IBKR doesn’t publish specific liquidity metrics, though their access to major global markets and professional counterparties ensures deep liquidity and tight order book depth for Bitcoin and Ethereum, aligning with institutional-grade execution standards.

Estimated 24-hour trading volume ranges from around $138 million to over $206 million; order-book depth appears substantial for primary pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, supporting solid liquidity for mainstream trading.

Tools

The platform integrates limit, stop, and OCO orders, real-time alerts, and advanced charting with analytics; it offers full API and WebSocket access for automation, but does not currently feature native TradingView integration within its interface.

PointPay supports limit, market, stop-limit, and OCO orders; it includes advanced TradingView charts with multiple indicators and timeframes, has alert features, and provides API and WebSocket support for algorithmic access.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain products are restricted by jurisdiction—for instance, crypto spot trading is unavailable to residents of the EU and UK under specific subsidiaries, and crypto derivatives are outright prohibited for UK retail clients.

Derivatives and leverage aren’t available yet, and certain products are restricted in regions like the U.S. and other sanctioned countries, meaning advanced trading tools may not be accessible depending on your location.

Innovation

Currently, the platform does not offer launchpad or launchpool programs, nor differentiated flexible or locked crypto-earn/yield products, though it is exploring innovations such as stablecoin funding and prediction-market tools for future updates.

The platform provides Launchpad projects, a multi-asset Vault with flexible and locked staking (3, 6, and 12 month terms), and regular staking promotions, all aimed at enhancing user participation and passive income opportunities.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. operates under U.S. jurisdiction, was founded in the late 1970s, and is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, with regional offices globally to serve a multi-national client base.

PointPay is operated by a Lithuania-based company founded in 2018, with its headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, situating it within the European regulatory environment and offering it EU operational grounding.

Licenses/Registration

Crypto execution and custody are provided via Paxos Trust Company or Zero Hash LLC, both regulated entities (for example, Paxos is overseen by the New York Department of Financial Services); IBKR does not self-custody crypto assets.

The platform currently holds a Lithuanian VASP license and is registered in the U.S. as a Money Services Business (Wyoming MSB), while actively pursuing additional licensing in the U.S. and enhanced compliance under recent European crypto frameworks.

Custody

Custody is handled by Paxos or Zero Hash, not IBKR directly, and while there’s no public proof-of-reserves or cold storage ratio published, custody is managed through regulated third parties with institutional-grade controls.

PointPay uses both hot and cold wallets, including air-gapped cold storage, with user-controlled wallet options, although there is no publicized Proof of Reserves or explicit cold-storage percentage disclosure.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There are no specific crypto insurance or protection funds advertised by IBKR; instead, asset protection relies on the compliance and safeguards offered by the regulated custodians (Paxos/Zero Hash).

There is no publicly available information suggesting that PointPay offers dedicated insurance coverage or protection funds for users’ assets.

Incident History

The platform has not experienced major crypto-related hacks, but it has faced regulatory issues such as fines in Hong Kong over securities lending and U.S. sanctions violations—though these pertain to broader operations rather than crypto custody per se.

There have been no major reported hacks, systemic suspensions, or regulatory penalties associated with the platform to date, suggesting a clean operational track record.

Risk Controls

IBKR supports strong risk controls including two-factor authentication, whitelisting, anti-phishing measures, sub-accounts, and granular API permissions to help safeguard client accounts.

The platform enforces standard security layers including multi-factor authentication, encrypted transaction passwords, and tiered KYC levels; however, features like API-specific permissions, sub-accounts, whitelists, or anti-phishing tools are not prominently highlighted.

Transparency

Public transparency on crypto custody is limited—there are no monthly reports, open wallet addresses, or service level agreements (SLAs) disclosed for crypto—but overall regulatory reporting follows standard broker-dealer and custodian requirements.

While PointPay commits to regulatory alignment and security, it does not currently publish regular audit reports, Proof of Reserves documents, public wallet addresses, or formalized SLAs for uptime or response times.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

IBKR accepts fiat deposits via ACH, bank wire, check (mail-in), direct debit, and bill-pay depending on your region; setup times and limits vary by method and your bank, typically ranging from same day to a few business days, with no universal minimum or maximum beyond what your bank imposes

PointPay allows fiat deposits via intermediary services like Mercuryo and MoonPay, and possibly bank transfers, with straightforward minimums (e.g., around €25), though maximums vary by provider; processing times range from instant to a few hours or up to a couple of days depending on the channel.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

IBKR requires full standard KYC before allowing any fiat or crypto activity; there are no “limited” or “basic” tiers — only fully verified accounts can deposit, trade, or withdraw, as per their global customer identification protocols

PointPay’s KYC process is accessible through both app and website in five simple steps, typically completed within 24 hours; higher levels unlock full functionality such as trading, deposits, and withdrawals, while no-KYC users face limited access.

Withdrawals

Fiat withdrawal limits are tied to your 2FA method (ranging from $50K/day without 2FA up to unlimited with advanced devices); ACH, wire, SEPA, BACS, etc., are supported, with processing times from same-day to a few business days

Withdrawals support common crypto networks (e.g., ERC20, TRC20), with limits like up to 10 BTC per withdrawal, and dynamic network fees; processing times have improved and can average 0.5 to 5 minutes for verified transactions.

Customer Support

Support is available via email and a ticket system, with access to a comprehensive knowledge base and FAQs; while 24/7 live chat may not be universally offered, response times are generally within a few business hours depending on region and inquiry type

PointPay offers live chat (often backed by bots and staff available 24/7) plus email support, although response times may vary; a knowledge base or FAQ section is available to help users find answers independently.

Languages & Localization

The platform supports multiple languages including native Spanish in some regions; fiat balances and fees are displayed in your account’s base currency (e.g., € for European accounts), and localized regulatory disclosures are provided based on your residency

The platform supports multiple languages (over 18), displays fees in major currencies like EUR and USD, and has localized options for users—including regulatory adjustments based on region—for smoother experience.

App Quality & Stability

IBKR’s mobile and desktop apps are known for their professional-grade stability and frequent updates, with rare crashes; while exact crash rates aren’t published, ongoing improvements and strong infrastructure ensure a smooth user experience.

PointPay’s mobile apps (iOS and Android) receive frequent updates with UI improvements and security enhancements (e.g., biometric login, 2FA fixes), though there are occasional user reports of withdrawal processing issues affecting app stability for some.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The platform offers two distinct experiences—IBKR Lite with a simplified, intuitive interface ideal for casual investors, and IBKR Pro providing a richer, more sophisticated layout for seasoned users; this creates a steeper entry curve for Pro but delivers far greater customization once you acclimate.

PointPay offers distinct trading interfaces—“Quick Exchange” for fast, hassle-free trading, plus Classic and Advanced modes—which helps users smoothly transition from simple to more feature-rich views as they grow comfortable.

Performance

Execution speed is highly efficient under normal conditions, yet during intense market swings, order latency may increase slightly; KYC processing can be slower during bull market surges due to high volume, though platform infrastructure remains stable with few interruptions.

A recent technological upgrade dramatically sped up load times and responsiveness, handling up to a million concurrent users, and significantly improving order execution even during high-volatility periods.

Education

There’s a rich learning ecosystem via IBKR Campus with structured lessons, webinars, and quizzes, alongside a paper trading simulator mirroring real market conditions; while most materials are in English, some Spanish-language content is progressively added.

PointPay includes a “Learn & Earn” program with interactive lessons and rewards; however, it currently lacks a full demo simulator or dedicated educational content in Spanish.

Community

The platform supports a structured referral program (with eligibility criteria), but lacks official social media groups like Discord or Telegram, and instead relies on educational forums and support channels to foster user interactions.

The platform maintains an active presence via Telegram (English channel), regular AMAs, and a referral program that rewards users for inviting newcomers.

Integrations

Powerful integration options exist via IBKR APIs, TWS, Web API, and FIX, enabling seamless connectivity with external platforms for execution, tax reporting, or accounting, even if native TradingView embedding isn’t available.

PointPay integrates TradingView directly for in-platform charting, and provides API access, though there’s no evidence of official tax tools, accounting software partnerships, or third-party trading bot integrations at this time.

Who Each One Is Best For

The setup shines for active, research-driven traders and institutional users who value automation and deep tools, while the Lite mode serves casual or cost-conscious investors who want straightforward access without complexity.

PointPay serves beginner-to-intermediate traders best—offering intuitive onboarding, guided trading modes, and educational incentives—while more advanced traders relying on professional-grade tooling or automation may find the platform’s current scope limited.