SIPC Protection Limits (reference)
Reference figures for US brokerage protection limits, for checking what a brokerage account actually covers.
Last verified 2026-10-04
Legal entities
Securities Investor Protection Corporation
Details
| securities limit | $500000Protection limit for unallocated securities held in a SIPC member account. |
|---|---|
| cash limit | $250000Cash is capped separately from the securities limit, not combined with it. |
| covers crypto | noCryptocurrency is not SIPC protected. This is the most common and most costly misunderstanding in retail investing. |
| covers futures | noFutures are cleared through CFTC-regulated entities with a different guarantee structure. |
| covers losses | noSIPC protects against a broker failing to return assets. It does not protect against market losses or bad investment decisions. |
What people get wrong
- The $500,000 securities limit and $250,000 cash limit are separate buckets, not one combined $500,000.
- SIPC is custody insurance, not loss insurance.
Sources
Each URL and the specific claim it supports.
- SIPC— Protection limits and scope of SIPC coverage.retrieved 2026-10-04