iTrustCapital Review: Gold and Crypto IRA Platform

Keen to add gold or cryptocurrency to your retirement strategy? When you place these assets inside a self-managed IRA, you can unlock valuable tax advantages. That means you can hold them for the long term inside your super-like retirement account and still benefit from IRA tax rules.

But can you buy both precious metals and crypto for an IRA through one provider? While many platforms don’t offer that mix, iTrustCapital does. Built for both newcomers and experienced investors, iTrustCapital lets you open, fund and invest in a self-managed IRA without the usual red tape.

So, is iTrustCapital trustworthy? Let’s dig in. Drawing on decades in the markets, I put iTrustCapital to the test by setting up a precious metals IRA and documenting my experience.

iTrustCapital: Quick Overview

Headquartered in Irvine, California, iTrustCapital launched in 2018 under founder and CEO Morgan Steckler.

With a mission to streamline outdated IRA processes, iTrustCapital enables investors to hold alternative assets—namely cryptocurrency, gold and silver—inside a retirement account.

A standout perk is 24/7 trading at spot pricing. When you’re ready to add a crypto or a precious metal to your IRA, you can transact at the live price within seconds.

There are compromises, though, such as a relatively narrow product menu and availability limited to investors in the United States. I’ll unpack these drawbacks below.

The Best Gold IRA Companies in 2025

Before we dive deeper, I’ve reviewed scores of precious metals IRA providers over the past 20 years and narrowed them down to the top five gold IRA companies for 2025. It’s well worth a read before you proceed with any rollover or transfer.

My current #1 is Augusta Precious Metals thanks to its A+ Better Business Bureau rating, hundreds of five-star reviews and lifetime account support. You can also read my full Augusta Precious Metals review or head to the official Augusta site for details.

What Sets iTrustCapital Apart?

After using the platform first-hand, here are the features that stood out most:

Crypto investing inside your IRA

If you’re looking to hold digital assets in a self-managed IRA, iTrustCapital is one of the few platforms that makes it possible. You can buy and sell cryptocurrencies within an IRA and benefit from IRA tax treatment.

Access is limited to 33 well-known coins, including the following:

• Bitcoin
• Ethereum
• Solana
• XRP
• Cardano
• Dogecoin
• Avalanche
• Polkadot
• Polygon
• Chainlink
• Shiba Inu

• Litecoin
• Cosmos
• Bitcoin Cash
• Stellar
• Uniswap
• Hedera
• Maker
• The Graph
• Aave
• Quant
• Flow

• Axie Infinity
• Tezos
• Sandbox
• EOS
• Gala
• Chiliz
• Curve DAO
• Basic Attention
• Compound
• Sushi
• yearn.finance

Precious metals investing and storage

Beyond crypto, iTrustCapital offers exposure to physical gold and silver bars at spot prices via its marketplace.

How do you hold physical bullion through a digital platform? iTrustCapital partners with Kitco—one of the industry’s best-known precious metals brokers—to execute trades in physical metals. That means you’re buying investment-grade bullion rather than synthetic exposure.

Kitco leverages Tradewind’s VaultChain™ to record ownership of gold and silver on a blockchain, aligning your on-platform holdings with real underlying metal. This improves efficiency and helps ensure you receive exactly what you own when you take IRA distributions.

For storage, Kitco uses the Royal Canadian Mint as its secure vault provider. Your iTrustCapital metal positions are held at the Mint’s vaults, which are professionally secured and visitable by appointment.

Qualified third-party custodian

iTrustCapital itself isn’t a custodian. It works with Fortress Trust, a state‑chartered trust company, to custody both digital and physical assets held in your iTrust IRA.

Fortress Trust incorporates specialist solutions such as BitGo and Fireblocks. These industry leaders provide infrastructure and conduct regular security and financial controls, bolstering protection for client assets.

User-friendly experience

In my experience, a self-managed IRA gives you more control and flexibility over your asset mix. iTrustCapital makes opening one straightforward, with a guided online setup.

The website and app are clean and intuitive, so even first-time investors should find navigation simple.

If you hit a snag—as I did while researching distributions—the in‑depth FAQs are handy. And if you still need help, responsive phone and email support are available.

Security and account protection

When investing online, safeguarding your login, funds and assets is critical.

iTrustCapital adds multiple layers of protection so only you can access your IRA.

Here’s how the platform strengthens account security:

• Two‑Factor Authentication (2FA): Login requires a second factor, so even if someone knows your password, they’d still need your device to gain access.
• Video verification: iTrustCapital conducts live video calls during onboarding and offboarding. I found this helpful for building trust and deterring bad actors from accessing the platform.

How to open a Precious Metals IRA with iTrustCapital

Setting up and funding an iTrustCapital IRA was quick for me—just five simple steps.

Here’s the process:

1. Click ‘Open Account’ and enter your basic details (name, phone, email and a password).
2. Verify your email address.
3. Log in and complete your profile with residential information.
4. Select your IRA type: Traditional, Roth or SEP.
5. Choose a funding method: rollover from an employer plan, cash contribution or transfer from another IRA.

Once your account is funded, you can start buying gold, silver or supported cryptocurrencies at spot.

Note: New IRA setups typically take 1–3 business days after submitting your application. Your funding method will determine when you can begin investing.

iTrustCapital fees

Pricing is refreshingly transparent. There are no account setup or monthly maintenance fees. You will, however, pay transaction costs when you invest:

• Cryptocurrency transaction fee: 1%
• Physical gold: US$50 per ounce above spot
• Physical silver: US$2.50 per ounce above spot
• Conversion fee: One‑off US$75 to convert a Traditional or SEP IRA to a Roth IRA.

Do note the minimums: you’ll need at least US$1,000 for your first contribution, and subsequent contributions must be US$500 or more—higher than ideal for some beginners.

iTrustCapital ratings on consumer sites

Final verdict

Crypto is volatile, yet blue‑chip assets like BTC and ETH have rewarded patient investors. Precious metals, on the other hand, can help preserve purchasing power over time.

iTrustCapital lets you allocate to both asset classes within a single IRA—so you don’t have to choose between digital and physical stores of value.

Whether iTrustCapital suits you comes down to your preferences. Weigh the positives—lower fees, an easy setup and strong UX—against the trade‑offs such as limited product selection and the BBB complaint history.

If you want to compare alternatives, have a look at the best precious metals IRA companies.