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

Trying to choose between Interactive Brokers and Probit 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

Probit

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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.

Probit is ideal if:

Great for exploring diverse assets If you value access to a broad selection of cryptocurrencies—especially niche altcoins—ProBit Global offers one of the widest catalogs available.
Perfect for privacy-minded traders With optional KYC and no compulsory identity checks for standard usage, it suits users who prefer trading with minimal personal data.
Solid for passive income seekers Integrated staking options and opportunities to participate in IEOs make ProBit attractive for investors looking to earn without active day trading.

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.

Probit isn’t ideal if:

Not for advanced margin traders Limited functionality for leveraging or derivatives may frustrate experienced users seeking more complex strategies.
Not ideal for fiat-heavy users If you prefer depositing or withdrawing traditional currencies directly, ProBit relies on third-party gateways and doesn’t natively support fiat operations.
Not beginner-friendly The interface and limited real-time support options—like no live chat—can make it challenging for newcomers navigating the platform solo.

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.

ProBit Global charges a flat 0.2% for both maker and taker spot trades by default, but if you stake PROB (the native token), you’ll qualify for VIP levels and can reduce fees significantly—even down to around 0.05% or lower when paying with PROB, depending on your tier.

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.

ProBit Global currently does not offer futures or derivatives trading, so there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees to consider.

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 ProBit doesn’t publicly publish exact spread figures, the BTC/USDT pair on major platforms typically shows mid-market spreads of a few dollars or a very small fraction of a percent; ProBit’s liquid pairs likely fall within that tight range, especially for well-traded assets.

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 handled via third-party gateways (like Simplex, MoonPay, Mercuryo), each with varying fees typically ranging from ~1–5%; speed depends on the provider—often near instant or up to a few business days—while ProBit does not support fiat withdrawals, only crypto withdrawals.

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 fees vary by blockchain and adjust dynamically based on network congestion; they are typically network-level fees—deducted in the asset you’re withdrawing—and fluctuate rather than being fixed values.

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 are generally no inactivity penalties; hidden costs may include currency conversion spreads when funding via non-USD/EUR gateways, and expedited KYC or premium services may incur extra fees through payment partners, not from ProBit directly.

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 convert €500 via a payment gateway, expect ~3–5% fee plus a small spread, then trade into BTC with roughly a 0.2% trading fee, and finally withdraw crypto with a small dynamic network fee—altogether, total costs could range around ~4–6% of the original amount, depending on variables.

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.

ProBit Global features a vast catalog—around 800+ cryptocurrencies across 1,000+ spot markets, with the top-20 by volume including major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, alongside other highly traded altcoin pairs.

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.

It offers spot trading, staking/earn programs, grid trading bots, automated DCA tools via third-party bots (e.g., Cryptohopper, DeltaBadger), and token launchpads, but does not support margin, futures/perpetuals, options, crypto ETFs, loans, or copy trading.

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.

ProBit Global maintains solid liquidity with daily trading volumes typically ranging in the hundreds of millions USD, and order book depth on BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT is sufficient for smooth execution, especially for mid-sized orders.

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.

The platform supports limit, market, IOC, and FOK order types, integrated grid and algorithmic trading via visual bots, offers API/WebSocket access, and customizable trading interfaces—but it doesn’t have native TradingView charting.

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.

Some products like staking events or launchpad access may be limited in certain countries, and derivatives are universally unavailable—some services might even be restricted where KYC isn’t supported.

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.

ProBit continues to innovate with an active launchpad program (hosting hundreds of token sales), and staking/earn offerings that may include flexible vs locked options, helping users participate in new token listings and earn passive rewards.

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.

ProBit Global is a privately held cryptocurrency exchange, founded in 2017, operating under a corporate entity based in the Seychelles, with additional registered points of contact in European hubs to support compliance and local operations.

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 exchange does not hold formal VASP or MiCA licenses and operates outside of comprehensive regulated frameworks, relying instead on regional registrations and voluntary compliance where practicable.

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.

ProBit Global secures around 95% of user assets in offline cold wallets, combined with encryption and multi-factor authentication; however, it does not publish proof of reserves or formal 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 is currently no custodian insurance or dedicated protection fund backing user assets, meaning funds are not covered in the event of a breach or other loss.

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.

ProBit maintains a clean track record—no hacks, breaches, floods, or regulatory fines have been reported since its founding—highlighting a strong security reputation to date.

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.

Users benefit from comprehensive security controls, including support for 2FA (with hardware keys like FIDO U2F), passkeys, biometric authentication, anti-phishing safeguards, and granular API permissions; there are also options for account whitelisting and layered access controls.

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.

Although there are no public monthly reserve or audit reports nor on-chain wallet disclosures, the platform does offer a bug bounty program and maintains stable infrastructure uptime, but does not publish SLAs or external transparency metrics.

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

ProBit Global allows fiat purchases via credit/debit card and bank transfer through third-party providers, with buys typically processed within minutes to a few hours depending on provider; minimums and maximums vary by provider and region, and exact values are defined by the payment gateways rather than ProBit itself.

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

There are two KYC tiers: Step 1 (email only) allows basic deposits, trading, and withdrawals up to about $5,000 daily; Step 2 (identity verification) unlocks full platform access, staking, IEO participation, and higher withdrawal ceilings (up to $500,000 with 2FA enabled for at least 7 days).

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

Crypto withdrawals have defined minimum amounts and dynamic network fees; supported networks include major blockchains like ERC-20, TRC-20, and BEP-20—withdrawals are generally processed promptly, subject to blockchain confirmation times.

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

ProBit offers customer support primarily via email and a ticketing system, with response times generally within a few hours to a day; it also maintains a well-structured FAQ and help center to guide users through common queries.

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 is localized in over 40 languages, including English, and displays pricing in major fiat terms like USD or EUR; local payment methods vary by region, and relevant fees are shown at the point of transaction.

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 mobile app is described as stable and user-friendly across devices, with regular updates enhancing features and performance; while exact crash rate data isn’t publicly stated, user feedback suggests a smooth and reliable experience.

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.

The platform offers a clean, intuitive interface with a short learning curve; the mobile app even includes a lighter version (“ProBit Global Lite”) optimized for simplicity, while the standard web and mobile versions offer more control and customization for experienced users.

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.

ProBit Global delivers fast order execution with minimal latency and reliable uptime, even during volatile market spikes; however, identity verification (KYC) may take longer during high-traffic periods, especially around major crypto bull runs.

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 ProBit has a help center and support articles, it lacks built-in simulator or demo trading tools; educational content in Spanish or other languages tends to focus on FAQs rather than structured courses or videos.

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.

ProBit maintains active community channels including Discord and Telegram, as well as a referral program that rewards users for bringing in others—creating a collaborative and engaged user community.

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 integrates directly with TradingView charts and supports third-party trading bots like Cryptohopper or WunderTrading; tax or accounting tools aren’t built-in but users can export data to manage finances externally.

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.

ProBit suits privacy-conscious traders who value wide crypto choice and automated bot support, while beginners and those expecting advanced derivatives or educational tools may find it less fitting.