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

Trying to choose between Interactive Brokers and Biking 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

Biking

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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

Yes

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.

Biking is ideal if:

For traders seeking smart contract flexibility, BiKing offers multiple contract types—perpetuals, quick contracts, and cross-margin/isolated modes—so you can align with diverse market strategies.
If asset security matters to you, the platform emphasizes bank-level protection, with deep cold storage, multi-signature withdrawals, and a tiered risk-control system.
When you value responsive support, BiKing provides 24/7 customer assistance and maintains a user-centric approach to keep trading smooth and reliable.

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.

Biking isn’t ideal if:

If you prioritize top-tier regulatory protection, BiKing falls short—it’s not overseen by major regulators, thus offering less legal safety and transparency.
For users seeking high liquidity or advanced tools, the platform may feel basic and limited, especially compared to larger exchanges.
Concerned about reputation and transparency? BiKing has multiple user complaints about withdrawal issues, expired licenses, and opaque operations—raising red flags for reliability.

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.

BiKing applies a flat trading fee for both makers and takers on spot trades, regardless of your volume level; there’s no discount tied to using a native token, so the cost per trade remains consistent across users.

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.

On perpetual futures, BiKing charges a uniform fee whether you’re adding or taking liquidity, and funding payments happen directly between traders on fixed intervals—BiKing itself doesn’t impose any additional charge for that.

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.

The exchange maintains tight spreads on its most traded pairs to support efficient execution, reflecting its focus on seamless trading in deep markets.

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.

BiKing currently does not facilitate traditional fiat deposits or withdrawals via bank wires or cards, operating chiefly within the crypto-to-crypto sphere to keep things straightforward and platform-native.

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.

Withdrawal costs are dynamically calculated based on network conditions—BiKing passes along the prevailing network fee for each blockchain rather than using a fixed fiat-denominated rate.

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.

There’s no evidence BiKing applies fees for things like currency conversions, account inactivity, or expedited verification processes, making its structure transparent and predictable beyond standard trading and withdrawal costs.

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.

In a scenario where you convert fiat into crypto—though fiat options are not currently available—BiKing’s structure means you’d face only the usual spot trading fee and the network-based withdrawal cost, without added platform margin or hidden charges, ensuring clarity in your total cost.

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.

BiKing lists around 260 cryptocurrencies and their associated trading pairs; the top 20 pairs—dominated by major market leaders—are generally those with the deepest liquidity and highest activity.

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.

The platform focuses on perpetual and quick contracts, spot trading, and “bonus” or gamified contract modes—without options, ETFs, staking pools, lending, copy trading, grid bots, or auto-DCA features.

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.

BiKing reports healthy daily volumes in both spot and derivatives markets, supporting smooth execution; specific order-book depth metrics for BTC/ETH suggest reliable liquidity for active traders.

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.

BiKing supports standard order types like limit, stop, and OCO, and includes charting and API access, though it lacks built-in TradingView integration or advanced alert systems.

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.

Certain advanced products such as derivatives may be restricted in regulated regions—even with global availability, some users may find limited access to full product suites depending on local laws.

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.

While lacking a traditional launchpad, BiKing does offer bonus-mode trading (a task-based rewards system) and appears exploring features like GameFi zones to engage users in flexible, incentive-driven trading experiences.

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.

BiKing is operated by BiKing Financial Ltd., founded in 2017 and headquartered offshore, with its main operations based outside major financial jurisdictions to provide global access and flexibility.

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.

BiKing holds MSB-style licenses in places like the United States and Canada, but is not regulated by top-tier financial authorities, which limits its legal transparency and oversight.

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.

BiKing uses in-house custody with deep cold storage, multi-signature withdrawals, and an anti-risk architecture to protect user funds, although it does not publicly publish proof-of-reserves or detailed audit reports.

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’s no publicly disclosed insurance or user compensation fund, meaning users rely primarily on BiKing’s internal security framework rather than external protection schemes.

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.

BiKing has no prominent history of major hacks or regulatory penalties, although there are occasional reports of withdrawal delays and limited transparency in incident reporting, which suggests a mixed track record on operations.

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 supports robust safety features such as two-factor authentication, encryption, intrusion prevention systems, and expressive API controls, all reinforced by firewall protections and multi-layer risk policies.

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.

BiKing lacks publicly visible wallet addresses, formal service-level agreements, or monthly transparency reports, making it less open about operational metrics and fund holdings than more transparent platforms.

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

BiKing does not support traditional fiat deposit methods—like bank transfers, cards, or e-wallets—so there’s no associated limits or processing times to consider.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

BiKing does not support traditional fiat deposit methods—like bank transfers, cards, or e-wallets—so there’s no associated limits or processing times to consider.

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

BiKing mandates a primary KYC step that ties your identity to your account, required to begin trading; there is no tiered verification system publicly described, and higher account access is granted once the basic identity check is cleared.

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

On-chain withdrawals are available via multiple blockchain networks (e.g., ERC-20, BEP-20, TRC-20), with dynamic delays depending on network conditions; specific daily or per-transaction caps are not openly defined.

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

BiKing advertises round-the-clock customer support, accessible via in-app or web chat and email, along with an evolving help center, though exact average response times aren’t specified.

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 interface is fully available in English among other languages; while fees or quotes aren’t localized to € or $ specifically, the platform remains region-agnostic without deep alignment to particular local regulatory setups.

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.

The BiKing app is promoted as continuously refined by its tech team for a smooth trading experience, though there’s no publicly available data on crash rates or the recency of updates.

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.

BiKing offers a polished, intuitive interface with a fast-matching engine and a slight learning curve—ideal for both new and experienced users—though it doesn’t explicitly separate “Lite” and “Pro” editions, delivering advanced functionality within one cohesive layout.

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.

The platform emphasizes microsecond-level order matching and anti-risk mechanisms to keep operations stable during spikes in market volatility, maintaining responsiveness when others might lag.

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.

While there’s no dedicated academy or simulator, BiKing supports its users through informative FAQs, community insights, and integration with evolving GameFi incentives to help users learn indirectly.

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.

BiKing boasts an energetic affiliate scheme (with unique perks such as high-value rewards), along with active official Telegram and social media channels that foster collaboration and user growth.

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.

The platform backs core trading tools and API access for external developments, though it stops short of native TradingView embedding or tax/accounting tool integrations—focusing instead on simplicity and performance.

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.

BiKing suits traders seeking a high-performance, security-focused crypto platform with GameFi gamified experiences and solid community backing—less so for those needing extensive educational modules, sophisticated bot ecosystems, or financial reporting tools.