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- Interactive Brokers has launched Ethereum staking for eligible U.S. brokerage clients.
- Zerohash operates the staking infrastructure, while IBKR provides the account interface.
- Reward rates vary, with platform fees deducted before clients receive their share.
- Access is restricted in certain states, and staked ETH cannot be withdrawn immediately.
Interactive Brokers has introduced Ethereum staking through zerohash, allowing eligible clients to earn blockchain rewards without moving their cryptocurrency holdings to a separate staking platform.
The October 13 announcement extends the broker’s digital asset offering beyond trading and transfers, bringing another cryptocurrency function into the same environment used to manage stocks, options, futures and bonds.
Initially available to eligible Interactive Brokers LLC customers, the service supports Ethereum (ETH). Clients can submit staking and unstaking requests through the Staking Dashboard in IBKR’s Client Portal and monitor their status.
The arrangement gives Interactive Brokers a way to offer network-based rewards without operating the staking infrastructure itself. For investors, the economics depend on the net reward rate, the service’s withdrawal conditions and the risks assumed while ETH remains staked.
A Brokerage Interface Built on External Infrastructure
Interactive Brokers handles the customer-facing experience, while zerohash provides the infrastructure connecting eligible ETH holdings to Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network.
The division allows clients to manage staking instructions through an established brokerage interface rather than maintaining their own validator or navigating a separate cryptocurrency application.
Zerohash’s role includes processing staking requests, managing validator infrastructure and distributing rewards. Ethereum’s protocol determines the underlying network rewards and validator-related conditions.
Interactive Brokers CEO Milan Galik compared the service with the company’s Stock Yield Enhancement Program, which allows eligible customers to earn income by lending securities they own.
Both offerings seek to generate additional returns from existing holdings, but their underlying economics differ. Stock lending depends on securities borrowing arrangements, whereas staking rewards arise from participation in Ethereum’s consensus mechanism.
Under the new service, eligible rewards can be credited as additional staked ETH and compound while the position remains active.
What Determines the Return After Fees?
The central pricing question is how much of the gross network reward reaches the customer.
According to zerohash’s staking documentation, participating platforms configure their own end-user fees, which are deducted from gross rewards before the remainder is credited.
Zerohash recommends fees of 25%–35% of gross staking rewards, but that range is guidance for partner platforms, not a confirmed Interactive Brokers fee schedule.
Interactive Brokers’ launch announcement does not publish a specific staking fee or annual percentage yield.
The zerohash user agreement states that applicable fees and reward-sharing terms are disclosed through the platform before customers receive staking services.
This makes the displayed net APY particularly relevant. Zerohash calculates that estimate after applying the platform’s configured fee, allowing customers to assess the return they could receive rather than the gross yield generated by Ethereum validators.
The rate is not guaranteed. Validator performance and network conditions can change the rewards generated over time.
Zerohash also distinguishes between consensus rewards, which can compound into the staked balance, and certain additional rewards, including maximal extractable value (MEV) payments, which may be credited to an available balance.
That distinction can affect how much of a customer’s reward is automatically reinvested.
Staked ETH Cannot Always Be Accessed Immediately
Liquidity is a more significant consideration than the account interface might initially suggest.
When a client submits a staking request, the ETH may enter a pending state before becoming active on the network. Zerohash’s staking FAQ explains that Ethereum’s validator activation queue can be measured in weeks, depending on network conditions.
The provider’s infrastructure does not offer transferable liquid-staking tokens that customers could sell while their underlying ETH remains committed.
Exiting a position also requires an unstaking process.
The zerohash agreement permits customers to request unstaking, subject to network restrictions and processing periods. It does not guarantee immediate access to the assets.
For an investor who wants to sell ETH during a sharp market move, that delay can be financially significant. The market price may change substantially before the assets become available again.
Validator penalties introduce a separate risk.
Zerohash says it will replace assets affected by certain slashing events, but its agreement excludes some circumstances, including protocol failures, third-party incidents and events outside its reasonable control.
Staked digital assets are also not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), according to the agreement.
Availability Depends on Jurisdiction and Account Eligibility
The service is not available across Interactive Brokers’ entire international customer base.
Its initial rollout applies to eligible Interactive Brokers LLC clients, while the company’s broader product availability depends on the relevant affiliate and the customer’s country of residence.
Zerohash’s published staking FAQ currently identifies four U.S. states where its service is restricted: California, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington.
The provider does not impose a platform-level minimum staking or unstaking amount. However, that does not exclude additional eligibility requirements or account-level conditions set by Interactive Brokers.
Clients must also satisfy the relevant identity-verification and staking-agreement requirements before participating.
Ethereum Staking Is Separate From IBKR’s Wider Crypto Lineup
Interactive Brokers supports trading in 20 digital assets, including Bitcoin, Solana, Cardano and Avalanche, alongside stablecoin funding and external wallet transfers.
The staking launch does not extend to those other cryptocurrencies.
Zerohash has identified Solana as a planned addition to its broader staking infrastructure during the fourth quarter of 2026, but Interactive Brokers has not announced SOL staking or a timetable for adding further assets.
For now, Ethereum remains the only cryptocurrency confirmed for staking through the new IBKR service.
Disclosure: This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Cryptocurrency staking involves market, operational and liquidity risks.
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