Alto Crypto IRA vs. iTrustCapital

Crypto IRA investments have become an increasingly popular way to diversify your retirement portfolio. There are a variety of options available, but two of the most popular are alto crypto IRA and iTrustCapital. Both of these crypto IRA providers offer investors a variety of features, but they also have their own unique advantages.

In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between them and help you determine which one is right for you:

Overview of Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital

Whether you’re a first-time investor or a seasoned pro, you may be considering an IRA as a retirement vehicle. An IRA, or individual retirement account, offers both tax advantages and flexibility and many investors now want to add the growth potential of cryptocurrency to the mix. Luckily for them, there are services that offer dedicated crypto IRAs.

Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital are two of the most popular providers of this product.

Alto Crypto IRA is a subsidiary of Equities First Holdings (EFH), an alternative financial solutions provider designed to meet the needs of underbanked customers who don’t qualify for traditional banking products. It specializes in providing digital asset investments in the form of digital wallets linked to Self-Directed Individual Retirement Accounts (SDIRAs). It provides 24/7 control over your investments with secure storage of coins and tokens. Its fees include a one-time setup fee plus annual custodial fees per wallet as well as additional fees if you wish to make changes to your account such as exchanges or withdrawals.
iTrustCapital is another reputed provider offering cryptocurrency IRAs with fee transparency. In addition to helping set up your SDIRA or Roth IRA, iTrustCapital will also help you identify which coins are better suited for portfolio diversification purposes, manage KYC/AML documents on its website for automated onboarding process and ensure secure storage of your funds through cold storage technology. The service has no setup cost but you need to pay annual custodial fees per wallet plus additional fees if you wish to make changes to your account such as coin exchanges or withdrawals. In addition it also provides extensive research resources including market news and analysis, lifestyle articles, best practices recommendations that can help new investors become familiar with the crypto markets quicker than ever before.

Investment Options

With the growth of digital assets as an investment, many people are looking for ways to best invest in these products. There are a variety of investment options available, from individual stocks to funds and Crypto IRAs. Two of the most popular platforms for investing in digital assets are alto crypto IRA and iTrustCapital.

Let’s take a look at the differences between the two platforms and the investment options they offer:

Alto Crypto IRA Investment Options

When it comes to allocating your investments, you have a wide range of strategies and options available. Alto Crypto IRA believes that the future of retirement investing lies in cryptocurrency, so they offer a range of products and services to help you take advantage of this emerging asset class. Through Alto Crypto IRA products you can access secure, tax-advantaged accounts that feature trading over many renowned exchanges.

Alto Crypto IRA offers several financial instruments for investing in cryptocurrency. These tools are designed with self-directed investors’ needs in mind – those who wish to be actively involved in their own portfolio management and gain hands-on experience with cryptocurrencies by trading them on their own.

Account holders can select from the individual product options of Alto Crypto IRA:

Cryptocurrency ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds)
Cryptocurrency Stocks
Investment Trusts
Private Placements
Cryptocurrency Funds
Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)
Crypto Futures Contracts

iTrustCapital Investment Options

iTrustCapital is an IRA custodian and cryptocurrency trading platform that allows investors to make secure investments in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. iTrustCapital’s Investment Options come with a wide range of features, including:

Access to multiple investing options with low minimums – iTrustCapital offers IRA and non-IRA investment accounts with a minimum of only $250. Investors can even use their own Bitcoin, Ethereum or other digital asset holdings as the initial investment.
A fully automated trading execution platform powered by Next Generation Trading Algorithms (NGTA). NGTA offers investors a quick and efficient way to trade cryptos, as well as automate their portfolio according to their risk profile and preferences.
All trades are 100% insured through trusted bank memberships via FDIC coverage for traditional investments and custody insurance for digital asset investments. This ensures that all funds are stored safely in the event of any external risk or criminal activity.
Tax efficiency through tax-deferred contribution which means investors get to defer taxation until they take possession of their funds at retirement age.

Fees

When looking at any crypto investing option, it’s important to consider the associated fees, as they can significantly reduce your returns. Both Alto and iTrustCapital have their own fee structures, so let’s take a closer look at these fees, as well as how they compare to one another.

Alto Crypto IRA Fees

Alto Crypto IRA platform is designed to provide a streamlined and cost-effective way to invest in cryptocurrencies. Our fees are transparent and competitive, so customers can be certain that they are getting the best value possible.

The Alto Crypto IRA platform has two basic types of fees: annual account fees and transaction fees.

Annual Account Fees: These fees cover the cost of setting up an account and ongoing maintenance, such as customer support for both you and your beneficiaries. Our annual account fee is currently $299 per year.
Transaction Fees: Transaction fees refer to any costs associated with buying, selling or exchanging cryptocurrencies on the Alto Crypto IRA platform. These transaction fees may vary depending on the currency used. For example, a bitcoin transaction currently carries a one percent fee (1%), while Ethereum transaction carries a 0.25% fee (0.25%). All applicable transaction fees will be calculated at time of order execution and disclosed upfront before you complete your order.

iTrustCapital Fees

At iTrustCapital, we believe in the power of transparency and have set up our fee structure to provide a clear understanding of what we charge and why. There is a $2 subscription fee that is charged per each investment in addition to transaction fees that vary depending on the specific asset class.

We charge a fixed dollar amount for each investment into an asset. This fee covers both the subscription cost associated with accessing and investing in this asset class, as well as any other applicable fees such as custodial costs. Subscription fees are paid on a recurring basis and begin when you first open an account. Any subsequent trades within the same asset class will not incur additional charges beyond the initial subscription fee.

In addition to charging subscription fees, iTrustCapital also charges trading fees based on total invested capital per trade. Our trading fees are assessed as follows:

for investments under $50k USD: 0.2% per trade;
for investments between $50k – $250k USD: 0.1% per trade;
for investments over $250k USD: 0% trade fee;
For those investing above $500k USD or more, there may be additional negotiated discounts available.

Please note that some assets may require minimum deposit amounts or incur additional taxes & duties, all of which will be clearly indicated in advance for full transparency prior to committing any funds towards your investment objectives.

Security

When it comes to investing, security is a top priority. Both alto crypto IRA and iTrustCapital provide investors with a secure platform to store their investments.

Alto Crypto IRA offers many security features, including a bank-level encryption, robust authentication, and 24/7 customer support. iTrustCapital also offers a high-level of security, including AES-256 bit encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure digital wallets. Let’s dive deeper into the security measures each platform offers:

Alto Crypto IRA Security

Alto Crypto IRA offers superior security features designed to ensure the safety of your assets. Alto utilizes highly secure air-gapped cold storage as our primary storage method and leverages a hierarchical deterministic (HD) framework, dual-authorization requirement, and multiple redundancies that are independently staked and stored in geographically separated locations.

These features ensure immutable data integrity while providing asset holders the assurance that their crypto IRA is safe from unauthorized access and theft. In addition to our industry-leading security protocols, Alto Crypto IRA also provides comprehensive insurance coverage for our clients’ cryptoassets, allowing them greater peace of mind and assurance that their investments will remain safe.

iTrustCapital Security

When it comes to investing in cryptocurrency, security is a primary concern. No one wants to have their hard-earned money stolen or lost through hacks or human error. For this reason, investing in the cryptocurrency market must be done with due diligence and caution. However, with iTrustCapital you can rest assured that your funds will remain secure at all times.

iTrustCapital utilizes a tier-3 system of security which includes multiple layers of encryption to ensure no unauthorized access is possible. Additionally, they utilize three levels of access control (accounts, groups and logs) so that each user has only the specific permissions they need in order to carry out their functions within the platform. They also use two-factor authentication (2FA) utilizing Google Authenticator or similar app token to ensure that only authorized users can gain access to accounts on the platform.

In addition to their platform security measures, iTrustCapital follows industry guidelines such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations so as to guarantee compliance with best practices for customer account safety and privacy protection. All transactions on iTrustCapital are stored on multiple secure servers located in various geographic locations and backed up constantly for added layers of data protection. With these robust security measures in place you can rest easy knowing your funds will remain safe at all times when using iTrustCapital’s services for cryptocurrency investments.

Customer Service

When investing in a crypto IRA, customer service is paramount. You want to ensure that you have a reliable platform to store your investments, as well as one that you can contact with any questions or issues that may arise. Because of this, it is important to understand the customer service of both Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital. Let’s take a closer look at how both of these services rate in terms of customer service.

Alto Crypto IRA Customer Service

Alto Crypto IRA provides full customer service for individuals who have invested in crypto assets. The customer service representatives are available seven days a week to provide information, answer questions, and resolve any issues with your crypto investments.

Alto Crypto IRA’s Customer Service department is staffed with knowledgeable and experienced support representatives who will be able to address all of your concerns. Whether you are looking for basic account information, have questions about transaction details, or need assistance transferring funds between accounts, the representatives are equipped with the tools and resources necessary to help.

They also undertake the responsibility of keeping up-to-date on all regulatory requirements and industry standards related to cryptocurrency investment.

If you need help navigating the world of digital asset investing, contact our Customer Service team now!

iTrustCapital Customer Service

iTrustCapital provides a personalized client experience with superior client service teams. Their customer service team is available to help their customers and prospects with any questions or trading issues that may arise. iTrustCapital takes pride in their dedication of providing helpful responses for their clients on every level.

Their customer service is accessible to all clients 24/7 via email, phone support, and live chat (for higher account classifications). They also offer wealth management and IRA education courses to help customers understand the fundamentals of cryptocurrency investing in an IRA. Additionally, they keep customers informed about the latest development in cryptocurrency investment fields with periodic newsletters.

For those looking for help outside of office hours, iTrustCapital’s support page has guides and FAQs about crypto IRAs, taxation related information, important fees & commissions as well as setting up certain account types like self-directed IRAs. Furthermore, they host a regularly updated blog which contains educational material related to digital asset investments and retirement planning tips.

Pros and Cons

Making an investment in a cryptocurrency IRA can be a great way to diversify and grow your retirement funds. Two of the most popular options are Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each to help you decide which one is best for you.

Here are the pros and cons of Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital:

Alto Crypto IRA
iTrustCapital

Pros of Alto Crypto IRA

The Alto Crypto IRA is offered by AltoIRA and provides a secure way for investors to diversify their retirement accounts with cryptocurrency investments. It is a self-directed IRA, so investors have complete control over the types of investments they make and the funds in their account. Here are some of the key benefits of using an Alto Crypto IRA:

Tax Benefits – All contributions to an Alto Crypto IRA are tax deductible, and any profits made from cryptocurrency trading can be reinvested without accruing capital gains tax.
Flexibility – With the Alto Crypto IRA, investors have total flexibility to invest in any digital currency they choose without worrying about restrictions or other limitations typically associated with traditional IRAs.
Security – The Alto Crypto IRA is held in cold storage by a third-party custodian, so investor funds are always safe and secure.
Accessibility – Investors can access their accounts 24/7 through their secure online portal to check on their cryptocurrency holdings or trade when it’s convenient for them.

Cons of Alto Crypto IRA

The Alto Crypto IRA has its share of drawbacks. First, to invest in an Alto Crypto IRA you must choose from a list of eligible cryptocurrencies that are approved for the plan. Your investment options are limited to a select few coins – Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and BitcoinCash – when compared to other IRA plans such as those offered by itrustcapital.

Additionally, the Alto Crypto IRA platform requires additional high setup fees and requires ongoing administration fees to maintain your account balance (including fees associated with wallet setup, rebalancing costs etc.). This could potentially be an expensive venture and limit your ability as a customer to select what coins you’d like to invest in. Moreover, these higher startup costs have many potential investors feeling uncertain about making the investment – meaning only more experienced crypto-investors will be comfortable investing through this service.

Pros of iTrustCapital

iTrustCapital is a trusted custodian providing non-custodial IRA accounts for cryptocurrency investments. Investors can benefit from the convenience and affordability of a self-managed IRA account coupled with the diversification and flexibility that cryptocurrency presents. In addition to traditional crypto asset classes such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, investors can also gain exposure to security tokens in their self-directed retirement portfolio.

Some of the main benefits that iTrustCapital offers include:

Low costs – Transaction fees are lower than those charged by traditional custodians in the stock markets, making it an attractive option for investors who are looking to save on brokerage costs.
Tax Benefits – With its tax deferral feature, iTrustCapital allows you to take advantage of all applicable IRS tax-deferred rules while reverting back to the original investment principle after 5 years has elapsed. This investment structure provides substantial relief when it comes time to pay taxes on your crypto gains.
Instant Access – iTrustCapital is designed with utmost convenience in mind. Funds can be moved within minutes between tradable assets as well as fiat currency or other cryptocurrencies without additional fees or delays associated with normal bank transfers. Additionally, new assets can be added to your account quickly and easily with just one click via its secure portal.
Comprehensive Security – All funds managed through an iTrustCapital account are insured against negligence or loss through private institutional insurers and are fully compliant with SEC regulations regarding the holding of digital assets for trading purposes in US retirement accounts.

Cons of iTrustCapital

Despite the apparent benefits of investing in an iTrustCapital IRA with cryptocurrencies, there are some notable drawbacks to be aware of before starting. Below are a few cons to consider:

Limited selection of coins: While iTrustCapital currently features cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, USDC and XRP as part of their platform and allows customers to purchase them with USD or other supported fiat currencies, they may not offer the entire selection of assets desired by some investors.
Complex fee structure: iTrustCapital has a rather complex fee structure which could be difficult for new investors to understand. In addition to the one-time $15 set-up fee to get started and various fees that may be applied during transactions, iTrustCapital also charges custodial fees which are incurred each quarter that customers must bear in mind when calculating their overall return on investment.
Restrictions on transactions: Although most transactions occur in real time between customer accounts and wallets hosted on the iTrustCapital platform can generally be opened or closed quickly with no wait time for confirmation, certain transfers – such as those involving fiat currency – may take up to several days in order for approval from network nodes to be received prior to completion.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision between Alto Crypto IRA and iTrustCapital is not one of irrefutable superiority but of personal preference. Both platforms offer a trusted, secure way to participate in the world of cryptocurrency investing on an IRA account. However, depending on your individual needs, certain features may be more important than others.

Alto Crypto IRA provides a range of features geared towards casual investors looking into cryptocurrency investments from the convenience and security of an existing IRA account. Along with its affiliation with a major broker-dealer, Alto Crypto offers access to educational materials and helpful support from personal Account Executives that can give investors more confidence to explore this relatively new area of investing.

On the other hand, iTrustCapital provides experienced investors with access to more cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin, and allows for instant FIAT deposits and withdrawals for those who might want to move their investment funds quickly between exchanges or other custodial services such as Coinbase wallets. Furthermore, its centralized trading platform makes it easier for larger asset managers or financial advisors to implement institutional strategies quickly at scale with regular reporting functions already included within the platform.

Regardless of which platform you decide to use in the end, it is important that you know what you are getting into before committing any significant amounts of your hard-earned money into crypto investments within an IRA account. Consider speaking with a financial advisor or tax professional regarding your particular situation before taking that plunge.