Kingdom Trust Review

Kingdom Trust was a prominent custodian of self-directed retirement accounts and alternative assets, including real estate, private investments, precious metals, and cryptocurrency. However, anyone researching the company today needs to understand a decisive change: Kingdom Trust stopped serving as custodian on January 24, 2024, and its accounts were assigned to Digital Trust as successor custodian.

That transition changes the answer to nearly every practical question about Kingdom Trust. Historical descriptions of its South Dakota charter, account fees, and investment procedures may explain an existing account’s origins, but they should not be treated as the terms for a new custodial relationship. 

New investments are generally titled to Digital Trust for the benefit of the account holder, and current fees, forms, agreements, and support procedures should be verified through Digital Trust or the Choice platform.

For a prospective investor, the practical question is no longer simply “Is Kingdom Trust a good custodian?” It is whether Digital Trust and the current Choice service model provide the right combination of alternative-asset access, custody, fees, technology and support for the investor’s needs.

Is Kingdom Trust Still Operating as an IRA Custodian?

Kingdom Trust is not operating as the custodian for the former account base in the way it did historically. The official migration information states that it ceased being custodian on January 24, 2024, and that accounts were formally assigned to Digital Trust. The former Kingdom Trust and Choice team continued supporting clients as part of the Digital Trust organization, while Kingdom Trust planned to wind down its South Dakota trust charter after completing the migration.

Existing clients may still encounter Kingdom Trust branding, archived forms, login pages and support content. That does not mean old agreements or pricing automatically govern a current transaction. Account holders should verify the legal custodian shown on their latest statement, use current forms, and obtain the latest applicable fee schedule.

New customers interested in the Choice platform are dealing with Digital Trust, a Nevada state-chartered trust company based in Las Vegas. Digital Trust describes itself as an independent qualified custodian and states that it does not provide, promote, endorse, or sell investment products.

What Was Kingdom Trust?

Kingdom Trust was a specialized custodian known for holding alternative assets in self-directed IRAs and other accounts. Unlike a mainstream brokerage focused primarily on stocks, bonds and funds, it supported assets that often require manual documents, third-party valuations, specialized storage or private ownership records.

The company became particularly visible in digital-asset retirement custody through the Choice platform. Its broader historical asset menu also included real estate, precious metals, private equity, crowdfunding investments, promissory notes and IRA-owned limited liability companies.

As a directed or passive custodian, Kingdom Trust processed account-owner instructions and maintained custody records. It did not assume responsibility for determining whether an investment was legitimate, properly valued, financially sound or suitable for the account owner. That distinction remains important under the successor arrangement.

What Happened to Kingdom Trust?

According to the official transition information, Kingdom Trust stopped being custodian for the affected accounts on January 24, 2024. Digital Trust became the successor custodian. The Kingdom Trust and Choice team continued supporting clients within the Digital Trust organization, and the migration materials stated that existing products and services would continue.

New investments must be titled and registered to Digital Trust for the benefit of the account holder. The migration guidance stated that existing investments did not need immediate retitling or re-registration. Clients who still hold an asset under older Kingdom Trust records should follow current instructions rather than independently changing ownership documents.

The transition did not turn an IRA distribution into a taxable event merely because the custodian changed. However, investors should confirm that account records, beneficiaries, asset titles, valuations and tax forms accurately reflect the successor arrangement.

Kingdom Trust vs. Digital Trust

Kingdom Trust is the historical custodian and brand under which many accounts were opened. Digital Trust is the successor custodian responsible for the migrated accounts. Digital Trust is based in Las Vegas and is registered and regulated as a Nevada trust company.

Choice is the client-facing platform associated with alternative-asset and retirement-account services. Current resource pages direct investors to Digital Trust custodial disclosures and Choice transaction and service fees. 

Because the names may appear together, clients should identify which organization performs each function: Digital Trust serves as custodian, while the Choice platform provides the account interface and investment workflow.

This separation also matters when evaluating costs. A custody fee, trading fee, asset transaction charge, depository fee and third-party investment expense may come from different service providers. Investors should request an all-in estimate rather than focusing on a single advertised charge.

What Is a Self-Directed IRA?

A self-directed IRA is generally a Traditional, Roth, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA administered by a custodian that permits investments beyond a conventional brokerage menu. It is not a separate tax category. The contribution, conversion, distribution, and required-minimum-distribution rules come from the underlying IRA type.

The IRA is the legal owner of its assets. Contracts, deeds, subscription agreements, metal-storage records, and other ownership documents must use the custodian’s required title. Income returns to the IRA, and investment expenses generally must be paid through the retirement account or a properly structured IRA-owned entity.

The owner directs investment decisions but cannot treat IRA property as personal property. Greater choice therefore comes with greater responsibility for due diligence, valuations, liquidity, and compliance.

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Account Types Associated With Kingdom Trust and Choice

Traditional IRA

A self-directed Traditional IRA generally offers tax-deferred growth. Contributions may be deductible when the taxpayer meets applicable requirements, and taxable distributions are usually treated as ordinary income. Required minimum distributions can create planning difficulties when the account is concentrated in illiquid assets.

Roth IRA

A self-directed Roth IRA is funded with after-tax money. Qualified withdrawals can be tax-free when the relevant age, holding-period and other rules are satisfied. A Roth structure can make future appreciation tax-efficient, but it does not reduce the business, market or fraud risk of the underlying investment.

SEP and SIMPLE IRAs

SEP IRAs are commonly used by self-employed individuals and business owners, while SIMPLE IRAs are designed for qualifying smaller employers. Both can offer tax-advantaged retirement savings, but contributions, employer obligations and rollover rules differ. Investors should confirm that the current custodian supports the intended asset in the specific account type.

Individual 401(k)

Current Choice resources also reference individual 401(k) account disclosures. A self-directed individual 401(k) may offer higher contribution potential and participant-loan features for an eligible owner-only business, but it has plan-document, testing, reporting and administrative requirements beyond an IRA.

Nonqualified and Specialized Accounts

The current resource center also references trust, qualified-plan, nonqualified cash and escrow accounts. These should not be assumed to receive IRA tax treatment. The governing agreement, account owner and intended use determine the legal and tax consequences.

What Investments Can the Current Platform Support?

The historical Kingdom Trust service and current Choice materials focus on alternative assets. Support can include cryptocurrency and other digital assets, public securities, real estate, private investments, crowdfunding interests, promissory notes, precious metals and IRA-owned entities. Availability, acceptance criteria and custody methods can change.

Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets

Choice became known for bringing digital-asset trading into a retirement-account structure. Current published transaction pricing uses tiered charges: trades under $50 have a flat fee, trades from $50 to $99.99 have a larger flat fee, and trades from $100 upward use a percentage that declines at higher transaction sizes. Investors should check the current asset list, execution method, spread, custody arrangement, withdrawal restrictions and network costs.

Cryptocurrency is highly volatile and can suffer from market, cybersecurity, protocol, exchange, liquidity, and regulatory risks. Tax-advantaged custody does not protect an investor from falling prices or operational failure. 

Any self-custody or “hold your own keys” feature requires careful review because personal control must remain consistent with retirement-account ownership and the custodian’s terms.

Real Estate

A self-directed retirement account can hold accepted residential, commercial, agricultural or undeveloped property. The account not the investor personally must own the asset. Rent and sale proceeds return to the retirement account, while property expenses must be paid through the correct account structure.

The owner and other disqualified persons generally cannot use the property personally. Financing normally must be non-recourse and can create unrelated debt-financed income. Investors also need adequate liquidity for taxes, insurance, repairs and required distributions.

Private Equity and Crowdfunding

Accepted private companies, funds, limited liability companies and crowdfunding opportunities may be held. These investments can lack audited financial statements, public pricing and a ready resale market. The investor should examine management, capitalization, dilution, transfer restrictions, conflicts, fees and exit rights.

Custodial acceptance does not mean that the issuer has passed an investment-quality review. Investors remain responsible for identifying fraud, inflated valuations and unsuitable concentration.

Promissory Notes

An IRA can make accepted loans to unrelated parties. The investor evaluates the borrower, collateral, lien priority, repayment schedule and default remedies. Loans to the account owner or another disqualified person are generally prohibited.

Precious Metals

Eligible gold, silver, platinum and palladium may be purchased through an independent dealer and stored at an accepted depository. The current Choice fee page identifies Brinks Global Services, Delaware Depository and Texas Precious Metals Depository as available storage locations.

Gold generally must be at least 99.5% pure, although American Gold Eagles receive a statutory exception. Silver generally requires 99.9% fineness, while platinum and palladium generally require 99.95%. Exact eligibility depends on the product, refiner or mint, weight and condition.

The investor should compare retail premiums, the dealer’s immediate buyback price, shipping, custody and storage. A buyback program does not guarantee the original purchase price, a profit or a particular percentage of spot.

How the Account Process Works Today

The investor first opens an eligible account under the current Digital Trust and Choice process or confirms the status of an already migrated account. Funding may come from a permitted contribution, a trustee-to-trustee transfer, a direct rollover or another eligible retirement transaction.

After selecting an investment, the account owner completes due diligence and submits the current investment direction and supporting documents. The custodian reviews the request for administrative completeness, ownership and asset-acceptance requirements. If the transaction is accepted, account funds are sent according to the approved direction and the asset is recorded for the benefit of the retirement account.

Income must return to the account, and expenses are processed through the proper channel. The owner supplies fair-market valuations when required and maintains enough liquidity for fees and obligations. An exit may involve a sale, an outgoing trustee-to-trustee transfer or an in-kind distribution, each of which can involve fees, documentation and possible taxes.

Kingdom Trust Fees: Historical vs. Current Pricing

Many online Kingdom Trust reviews quote old schedules. Those numbers can be misleading because Kingdom Trust stopped serving as custodian in 2024. Archived documents may explain charges on historical statements, but they should not be presented as the price of opening a new account today.

The current Choice pricing page states that transaction and service charges apply in addition to applicable asset-custody fees. Investors therefore need both the current service-and-transaction schedule and the custody pricing applicable to the account and asset.

Current Choice Trading Fees

The published schedule last updated in November 2025 lists a $0.99 fee for a digital-asset trade under $50 and $1.49 for a trade from $50 to $99.99. Trades from $100 to $249,999.99 are listed at 1.49%, those from $250,000 to $499,999.99 at 1.25%, and trades of $500,000 or more at 1.00%. Public-security trades are listed at $0.005 per share with a $1 minimum.

Percentage-based trading fees can be substantial. A 1.49% charge equals $149 on a $10,000 trade before considering spread or other costs. Investors who trade frequently should calculate round-trip costs for both purchases and sales.

Current Alternative-Asset Transaction Fees

The published schedule lists $50 for a precious-metals or Perth Mint purchase, sale or exchange; $150 for a real-estate purchase or sale; $15 for an expense or loan payment; and $95 for an alternative-asset purchase, liquidation, sale or subscription.

These are transaction charges, not necessarily the complete custody cost. Real estate may also involve legal, recording, appraisal, management and insurance expenses. Precious metals add dealer spreads, shipping and storage, while private investments can impose sponsor and valuation fees.

Transfer, Termination and Service Fees

The current schedule lists $35 for a domestic wire, $50 for an international wire, $15 for an ACH under $10,000, $35 for a standard check and $50 for a cashier’s check. A partial termination is listed at $150 and complete termination at $300. The migration FAQ separately states that an outgoing transfer carries a $100-per-asset transfer fee, so clients should confirm how these charges interact in their circumstances.

Next-day processing is listed at $100, same-day processing at $250 and special handling at $100. Re-registration costs $75 per asset, and a Roth conversion or recharacterization service is listed at $100, subject to the qualifications in the current schedule.

Precious-Metals Storage Fees

The current published annual storage cost is $150 for nonsegregated storage and $240 for segregated storage. Segregated storage identifies qualifying holdings separately, while nonsegregated storage generally holds fungible products with like assets and maintains ownership records. Investors should confirm insurance, audit practices, delivery procedures and whether the selected product qualifies for the chosen method.

Prohibited Transactions and Disqualified Persons

Self-directed retirement accounts cannot transact freely with the owner or certain related parties. Disqualified persons generally include the owner, spouse, ancestors, lineal descendants, spouses of lineal descendants, fiduciaries and certain controlled entities.

Risk areas include selling personal property to the IRA, borrowing IRA money, pledging IRA assets for a personal obligation, living in IRA-owned real estate, receiving an improper personal benefit, paying IRA expenses personally without approved treatment or conducting transactions through a controlled business.

A prohibited transaction can cause severe tax consequences, potentially including loss of the account’s tax-advantaged status. Custodial processing does not replace independent legal or tax advice.

UBIT and UDFI

An IRA can owe tax even though it is tax advantaged. Unrelated business taxable income may arise when the account receives income from an active business operated through a pass-through entity. Unrelated debt-financed income may arise when an investment uses borrowing, such as non-recourse financing for real estate.

The account may need a tax identification number, Form 990-T and sufficient cash to pay tax. Investors should evaluate these issues before buying an operating business, partnership interest or leveraged property.

Valuation and Liquidity

Private assets often lack observable market prices. The investor or sponsor may need to supply an annual fair-market valuation, and a qualified appraisal may be required for certain distributions or conversions. Valuation affects tax reporting, required minimum distributions and in-kind transfers.

Illiquidity can become a practical problem. If an account owns valuable real estate or private securities but holds little cash, it may be unable to pay fees, expenses or required distributions without selling or distributing part of the asset.

Potential Advantages of the Kingdom Trust Legacy Platform

The historical Kingdom Trust platform helped expand retirement-account access to alternative assets, especially cryptocurrency. The current successor structure continues to emphasize broad investment choice through a regulated custodian and a technology-based interface.

Potential strengths include support for multiple retirement-account types, digital assets, public securities and less conventional investments. The current fee page also publishes many transaction, transfer, service and storage charges, allowing investors to model activity-based expenses.

Potential Limitations and Risks

The biggest limitation for anyone researching “Kingdom Trust” is brand and custodial confusion. Kingdom Trust is no longer the custodian for the migrated accounts, so older reviews, fee schedules and application instructions may be obsolete. Investors need to evaluate Digital Trust and Choice under current agreements.

Trading costs can also be material. A percentage charge on digital-asset purchases and sales can reduce returns, particularly for frequent traders. Alternative-asset transaction, storage, re-registration and termination charges can layer on top of asset custody fees and third-party costs.

The platform does not provide fiduciary investment recommendations or validate the quality of an investment. Alternative assets may be volatile, illiquid, difficult to value and dependent on sponsors, exchanges, dealers, depositories, borrowers or property managers.

Who May Be a Good Fit?

The current Digital Trust and Choice arrangement may suit an investor who wants retirement-account access to digital assets or other alternatives, understands self-directed account rules and is willing to conduct independent due diligence. It may also appeal to someone who values a platform combining alternative assets with selected public securities.

An appropriate client should be able to compare all-in fees, maintain adequate liquidity, obtain valuations and consult legal or tax professionals when using complex assets or entities.

Who May Prefer an Alternative?

A conventional brokerage IRA may be better for an investor primarily seeking low-cost stocks, bonds, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. It normally offers simpler pricing, real-time market values and higher liquidity.

Another self-directed custodian may be more suitable for an investor who dislikes percentage-based digital-asset trading fees, holds many separate alternative assets or needs a different processing and storage model. Comparisons should use the same balance, assets, number of transactions and anticipated exit method.

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Final Assessment

Kingdom Trust played an important role in alternative-asset and cryptocurrency retirement custody, but it should now be viewed as a legacy name rather than the current custodian for migrated accounts. Digital Trust became successor custodian on January 24, 2024, and Choice remains the principal platform associated with these services.

The current arrangement may appeal to experienced investors seeking broad alternative-asset access, particularly digital assets. However, percentage-based trading charges, alternative-asset transaction fees, storage costs and transfer or termination expenses require careful analysis. Custodial regulation does not guarantee the quality, liquidity or performance of an account owner’s investments.

Before opening or retaining an account, verify the current custodian, obtain the complete applicable fee schedule and confirm the precise asset-acceptance and exit procedures. The best choice is the provider whose present-day agreements—not its historical reputation—fit the investor’s intended assets, activity and compliance needs.