Verified against archlending.com on 6 Sep 2026. Terms change; confirm before borrowing.
How Arch works
Arch is a centralized lender offering fixed-rate, native-bitcoin loans on short terms (1–12 months, interest-only with principal at maturity, rollover available). You pledge real BTC, which is moved to a qualified custodian, and borrow USD against up to 60% of its value. The product is aimed at serious borrowers rather than micro-loans, with a $5,000 minimum.
Rates & fees
Arch quotes an all-in APR that is tiered by loan size, roughly 7.25%–11.84%. In practice the headline "from 7.25%" is reserved for very large loans; a typical retail borrower (under ~$250K) pays around 11.84%. There's a modest origination fee (about 0.49–1.49%, baked into the APR), no prepayment penalty, and a liquidation fee if it ever triggers.
LTV & liquidation
Max initial LTV is a conservative 60%, with a margin call around 70% and liquidation around 80% (partial, to restore a healthy ratio). The lower starting cap means a bit less borrowing power but a healthier buffer than 70%+ lenders.
Custody & safety — why we rate Arch Medium relative risk
Source: Arch security — Anchorage Digital qualified custody ↗
This is Arch's standout: collateral is held by Anchorage Digital Bank, an OCC-chartered qualified custodian, in segregated cold storage with insurance, and is never rehypothecated. That's institutional-grade custody most lenders can't match. We still rate Arch Medium rather than LOW because it's a newer, smaller operator without the multi-year, multi-cycle track record of our LOW-rated names. See the risk methodology.
What a $100,000 Arch loan costs
Larger loans drop toward 7.25%. The premium over the cheapest CeFi lenders buys you chartered qualified custody. Figures illustrative.
Pros & cons
Strengths
- Native BTC at Anchorage qualified custodian (insured)
- No rehypothecation
- Conservative 60% max LTV
- Modest $5,000 minimum; short flexible terms
Trade-offs
- Newer, smaller operator (shorter track record)
- Retail rate (~11.84%) higher than headline
- Origination fee applies
- Centralized counterparty
Who Arch is best for
Arch suits borrowers — especially at five- and six-figure sizes — who put custody quality first and want native bitcoin held by a chartered custodian. If you want the lowest fee-free rate instead, see Strike; for the safety reasoning across lenders, see the best loans for $100,000.
FAQ
What is Arch Lending's interest rate?
A tiered all-in APR from about 7.25% to 11.84%. The low end needs a very large loan; typical retail borrowers (under ~$250K) pay around 11.84%.
Who holds my Bitcoin at Arch?
Anchorage Digital Bank, an OCC-chartered qualified custodian, in segregated, insured cold storage. Collateral is not rehypothecated.
What is Arch's minimum loan?
$5,000, with conservative terms aimed at serious borrowers rather than micro-loans.
Is Arch safe?
Its custody is institutional-grade, but it's a newer, smaller operator, so we rate it MED rather than LOW. No loan is risk-free.
See Arch next to every other lender
Live rates, LTV, liquidation thresholds, custody, and minimums for every lender we track in one verified table.
Open the comparison →