What is a USD Interest Account?
Earn up to 3.75% APY on your U.S. Dollar balance—right from the Uphold App.
The USD Interest Account is a simple, secure way to grow your dollars. Whether you're saving, planning your next trade, or just want better returns on idle cash, it puts your money to work—without the hassle.
What you get:
-
High Interest Rates:
- Earn 3.75% interest on USD balances of $10 or more.
- Earn 2.0% interest on USD balances between $1 and $9.99.
- FDIC insured: Your money is protected up to $2.5 million via program banks.
- No lockups: Transfer funds instantly between your USD Interest Account and Uphold.
- Start with just $1: no cap on deposits.
- No monthly fees: No subscription required.
- All in one platform: Manage everything right from the Uphold app, without switching platforms.
Getting Started
Opening a USD Interest Account takes seconds and requires no additional paperwork. Available to eligible U.S. customers.
What is Atomic Brokerage?
Atomic Brokerage LLC ("Atomic Brokerage") is a broker-dealer and subsidiary of AtomicVest Inc. The company provides investment and financial services. Through its integrated service model, you’re given access to USD Interest Accounts, without ever leaving the Uphold environment.
Atomic Brokerage is registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA / SIPC. You can find out more about Atomic Brokerage on FINRA's BrokerCheck website.
Am I eligible for a USD Interest Account?
If you’re a U.S. resident in a location we operate, you’re likely to qualify for an account provided:
- You do not reside in Louisiana or American Samoa
- You’re at least 18 years old
- You’ve successfully set up an Uphold account
- You’re not a 10% shareholder, officer or executive at a public company
- You’re not an employee at a FINRA broker-dealer
- You’re not a politician or have a close family member in politics
What are the annual interest rates?
- 3.75% on USD balances of $10 or more.
- 2.0% interest on USD balances between $1 and $9.99.
Interest rates may vary based on market conditions and other factors. We will notify you in advance of any changes.
When is interest paid out?
Interest is accrued daily and paid out monthly*, up to the 5th of each month.
You’ll receive a push notification and an email every time interest is paid.
The interest value is paid into your USD Interest Account.
For transparency, you can check the daily accrued interest value in the Uphold App.
*Total accrued interest in a given month must be at least $0.01 USD to be paid out. Any unpaid interest does not roll over to the next month.
How is my accrued interest calculated daily?
Each day, we calculate your daily accrued interest based on your balance using the Annual Percentage Rate (APR), which is slightly lower than the APY.
Why not use the APY?
Because Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is a yearly rate that includes the effects of compounding, assuming that all funds stay in the account throughout the year. In contrast, the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) does not take into account the effects of compounding.
In your USD Interest Account, the compounding effect happens at the end of each month, when your accrued interest is paid out. This is why the APY can’t be taken into account in the daily calculations.
Are the funds in my USD Interest Account protected?
Funds deposited into your USD Interest Account are spread across up to 10 banks, giving you FDIC insurance up to $2.5M. Funds deposited into your USD Interest Account after 3 PM ET may be held and swept to a program bank the next business day. While your funds are being held in your USD Interest Account, pending to be swept to program banks, they are not FDIC or SIPC insured.
Are the funds in my USD Interest Account locked?
No. You can access your funds instantly at any time. There is no lock up period. In very rare situations - such as overwhelming demand - you may have to wait up to 2 days for settlement.
Is there a cap on the amount I can put in to earn interest?
No. Balances of $10 or more qualify for our highest rate of interest of 3.75%.
Is there a minimum balance to start earning interest?
You earn interest when the balance is at least $1. The interest rate will depend on the amount you decide to invest.
Balances between $1 and $9.99 earn 2.0% interest; balances of $10 and more earn 3.75%.
What are the costs of the service?
Unlike many competitor products, there are no subscription charges or other account fees with the USD Interest account.
How do I fund my USD Interest Account?
From the Uphold App. On the USD Interest screen just tap “Money In” and select a funding source.
If you use USD, there are no trading fees.
You can also move money directly from cryptocurrencies into your USD Interest Account. There will be a standard exchange fee for currency conversion.
How can I download reports?
Your USD Interest account generates different reports that are available to download in-app.
To access them:
Tap Interest at the bottom bar to access your USD Interest Account details;
- Tap More (...) option;
- Tap Documents then select the type of report you want to access: Monthly statements or Tax Forms.
Your USD Interest Account tax forms are made available at the end of each fiscal year.
Alternatively, you can access your reports via Atomic’s portal at http://investor.atomicvest.com/ using the email address associated with your Uphold account.
Why is my account creation taking so long?
Setting up your USD Interest Account typically takes just a few minutes. However, in rare cases, it may take longer due to additional checks required.
We’re actively working to enhance the user experience in these instances so that all eligible users can access this feature in the coming weeks.
If you're affected, rest assured—we'll notify you as soon as the issue is resolved.
Can my USD Interest Account be closed?
You can close your account in the Uphold app:
- Tap Interest at the bottom bar to access your USD Interest Account details;
- Tap More (...) option;
- Tap Close account and follow the on screen-instructions.
Atomic can close your USD Interest Account at their discretion. Also, accounts with no activity for one year, with balances below $1, are considered inactive, and therefore closed. All you need is to make sure you have enough balance to generate interest.
Before closing an account due to inactivity, Atomic will inform you and you’ll have 30 days to fund your account and keep your money working for you.