Frequently asked questions

How Rivo earns yield on your idle cash, where your money goes, and how we keep you in control, without you having to lift a finger.

01 · About Rivo

What Rivo is, how it works, and who's behind it.

What is Rivo?
Rivo Autopilot automatically earns on the idle cash sitting in your bank account. It moves idle balances into U.S. Treasury Bills and brings them back before bills hit.

How does Rivo Autopilot manage household cash?
Rivo Autopilot monitors your income, expenses, and idle cash in real time. It moves money you are not using into U.S. government-backed assets, and brings it back to your account before bills are due. Your funds are always accessible when you need them. You can withdraw your available funds through your app and it may take 2-5 business days for funds to show up in your external connected account.

How is this different from a High Yield Savings account?
A High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA) is simple: you deposit cash in a bank, it's FDIC-insured, and you earn a variable interest rate that's still guaranteed by the bank. Rivo works differently. Instead of sitting in a bank account, your idle cash gets automatically invested in short-term U.S. Treasury Bills through Rivo's brokerage partner. This changes a few things. Protection: You get SIPC coverage (up to $500,000) instead of FDIC insurance. SIPC protects your assets if the brokerage fails, but it doesn't guarantee returns the way FDIC-backed accounts do. Returns: Because it's a market-based investment, your return can vary and isn't guaranteed like a bank rate. Automation: If you are on Rivo Autopilot, you don't have to manually move money around. Rivo automatically pulls funds back into your account before your bills are due, though transfers take 2-5 business days, so timing matters. Risk if you sell early: If you need to access your money before the T-Bill matures, selling early could reduce your return.

How is this different from traditional banking or budgeting apps?
Unlike budgeting apps that only track expenses, Rivo Autopilot actively manages and moves your money for you. While traditional banks typically offer minimal interest on checking and savings balances, Rivo puts your idle cash to work in short-duration U.S. Treasury Bills - and plans ahead of your bills so funds are back in checking before they're due*.

Who is behind Rivo?
Rivo was founded by Ambrish Tyagi, who previously led AI at Cruise during the launch of its commercial robotaxi service in San Francisco and built applied AI teams at Amazon. The founding team includes leaders from Personal Capital, Mint, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, and Microsoft, with deep experience in building and scaling consumer finance products, risk management, and AI systems.

Who is Rivo for?
Rivo is designed for any household looking to earn more on idle cash sitting in their bank account, automate bill and loan payments, eliminate idle cash drag in low-interest accounts, and move money instantly across accounts with ease.

02 · Getting started

Onboarding, supported banks, and what to expect on day one.

Do I need to change my bank to use Rivo?
No. Rivo works with your existing bank accounts. It connects securely and automatically earns on your idle cash without requiring you to switch banks, move direct deposits, or modify your bill pay setup.

How do I sign up for Rivo?
Simply download the Rivo app, securely connect your bank accounts, and let Rivo Autopilot analyze your finances and set up an automated earning plan. You may be asked to upload identity documents to complete verification, have a government-issued ID ready.

How long does it take to set up Rivo?
It takes just a few minutes to sign up and securely link your accounts. Rivo starts working on your money once the transfer of funds is completed, within 2-5 business days.

What banks does Rivo support?
Rivo supports thousands of banks and credit unions across the U.S. through Plaid's secure integration.

Can I link more than one bank account?
Yes, you can connect multiple bank accounts. However, at this time, Rivo AutoPilot supports earnings for one primary bank account. More options are coming soon.

What is the minimum balance?
Rivo works best for households with $5,000+ in their checking account, though there's no hard minimum. If you keep less, the earnings may not be significant enough to matter.

How long until I start earning?
Once you connect your account, Rivo begins analyzing your cash flow. Most users see their first money movement within a few days. Earnings are calculated daily and paid at T-bill sale or at maturity.

03 · Yield, fees & earnings

How the yield works, what you pay, and what you earn.

Is this 'investing'? Am I taking a market risk?
Yes, Rivo is a brokerage-based product. Your cash is automatically invested in short-duration U.S. Treasury Bills. While these are backed by the federal government and remain independent of equity market swings, they carry standard fixed-income risks. Fluctuations in interest rates may affect value if assets are liquidated before they mature.

Where does my money go?
Your extra cash is held in short-term US Treasuries through regulated partners. It is designed to be a safer parking place than leaving everything idle in checking.

What are treasury bills (T-bills)?
Treasury bills are short-term debt obligations issued by the U.S. Treasury. T-bills are considered one of the safest investments available and serve as a benchmark for low-risk returns. They are also among the most highly liquid instruments in global financial markets, so there are minimal price impacts when bought or sold. For US investors, T-bill earnings may be exempt from state and local taxes.

Is your interest rate guaranteed?
Rivo invests your idle cash in 4-week U.S. Treasury Bills and passes the yield back to you, minus a 0.05% monthly management fee (approximately 0.6% per year). Because we operate with lower overhead and no costly branches, we can pass more of that yield to you. The rate adjusts based on prevailing Treasury rates and Federal Reserve changes.

Does Rivo charge any fees? How does Rivo make money?
Rivo charges a flat monthly management fee of 5 basis points (0.05%), calculated on the average daily balance of your Rivo account. The fee is automatically deducted from your account each month. If the account's cash balance is insufficient, the system will automatically liquidate a sufficient amount of Treasury bills to cover the fee.

Do I need to pay taxes on my earnings through Rivo?
If you have a taxable event, you'll receive the appropriate tax documents. Documents will be accessible through the app. Your tax form (Form 1099) will list Jiko Securities, Inc. as the payer, this is correct because Rivo partners with Jiko to custody your T-bill investments. T-bill earnings may be exempt from state and local taxes. We recommend consulting a tax advisor for your specific situation.

04 · Money movement & automation

How Rivo moves your money, and how you stay in control.

What's the difference between Copilot and Autopilot?
Both keep a minimum cash buffer in your bank account and move the rest to Rivo to earn. The difference is whether money comes back on its own.

Autopilot moves money both ways. You set your minimum cash buffer, or use the one we recommend. Autopilot then watches your upcoming bills and spending, moving extra cash out to earn and moving it back as your account needs it. You can also withdraw manually any time.

Copilot only moves money out. Once a day we check your connected account, and if you're more than $100 above your minimum, we move the excess to Rivo to start earning. Moving money back to your bank is up to you.

Either way, you'll get an alert before a planned transfer so you can cancel it.

How does Rivo automate bill payments?
Rivo detects upcoming credit card and loan payments, ensuring payments are made on time by moving funds automatically from the best-earning accounts while keeping liquidity intact.

Can Rivo cause me to overdraft?
Rivo Autopilot is designed to reduce overdraft risk, not eliminate it. We use buffers, a floor balance you set, and move money back into your account before your bills are due to keep routine spending covered. Rivo only moves money it identifies as truly idle. But we can't guarantee an overdraft will never happen: unexpected charges, timing changes, or your own spending can still outpace the buffer, and your bank's own overdraft policies still apply. If you ever do run into an overdraft, reach out and we'll look into what happened. You can adjust your buffer or pause automation anytime.

What about unexpected charges?
If spending spikes, Rivo adapts by keeping a larger buffer and can pause sweeps. You will also see notifications so nothing surprises you.

Can I customize how much money Rivo moves?
Absolutely. You have control over thresholds, minimum balances, and how much Rivo is allowed to transfer based on your preferences.

Can I set a minimum balance for my checking account?
Yes. You can configure a minimum threshold for your checking account, ensuring that Rivo never moves more than you're comfortable with.

Can I use Rivo if I have irregular income?
Yes. Rivo's AI adapts to fluctuating income patterns and ensures that your financial needs are met before moving any money.

What if my paycheck timing changes?
Rivo adjusts as patterns change and you can increase your buffer at any time. If things look uncertain, it becomes more conservative.

Can Rivo move my money without my permission?
No. Rivo only moves money based on the permissions you've granted us. Once automation is on, you won't be asked to approve each individual transfer, but you'll get a notification before every transfer and you have six hours to cancel it. You're always in control - change your settings, pause, or disconnect anytime.

Will you notify me before you move money?
Yes. We send an email at 5PM Pacific before moving money and you have until midnight to manually cancel it.

05 · Liquidity & access

How fast you can get to your money.

Can I withdraw my money anytime?
Yes, you are in control. You can withdraw your available funds anytime through your app, up to $15,000 per day. To request a withdrawal, log in, go to 'Transfer Funds,' and enter the amount.

How fast can money move back?
You can withdraw your available funds through your app and it takes 2-5 business days for funds to show up in your external connected account.

What happens if I need access to my funds?
Access your funds anytime. US Treasuries are highly liquid, so you can sell early if needed. However, keep in mind that sales prior to maturity may incur costs and affect your realized yield.

06 · Safety & security

Insurance, regulated partners, and data protection.

How does Rivo ensure my money is safe?
Rivo is a technology company, not a bank, broker-dealer, or investment adviser. All U.S. Treasury investments are held through Jiko Securities, Inc. (member FINRA/SIPC), and banking services are provided by Jiko Bank (FDIC). Rivo does not store or have access to your banking credentials. We use 256-bit encryption and are SOC 2 compliant. We never sell your data or share it for advertising purposes, see our Privacy Policy for details on how we work with financial partners.

Is my money SIPC/FDIC insured?
Rivo is a technology company, not a bank, broker-dealer, or investment adviser. Your money is held by our partners, and coverage depends on where it sits. Cash held as a deposit at Jiko Bank (a division of Mid-Central National Bank, Member FDIC) is FDIC insured up to applicable limits. U.S. Treasury Bills are held in a brokerage account at Jiko Securities, Inc. (member FINRA/SIPC). T-Bills are securities, not bank deposits. They are Not FDIC Insured, carry No Bank Guarantee, and May Lose Value. SIPC protects the custody of your securities up to $500,000 if the broker-dealer fails, but it does not protect against a decline in market value. T-Bills are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government when held to maturity.

Can I lose money?
T-bills are backed by the U.S. government and are considered low-risk, but they carry standard fixed-income risks. If sold before maturity, fluctuations in interest rates may affect value. The core strategy uses short-duration Treasuries, and you can pause or opt out anytime.

07 · Account management

Pausing, canceling, and managing your settings.

Can I pause or stop Rivo's automation?
Yes. Open the Rivo app and go to Manage AutoPilot. Tap Deactivate to stop, or choose from available pause options to temporarily suspend for a set period. You can reactivate at any time.

Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. You can cancel at any time.

What happens after I cancel?
Your funds are returned to your linked bank account and any active automations are stopped. You retain full access to your account history.

08 · support

How to get help?

How do I contact Rivo for support?
You can reach out through the in-app support chat, email us at support@rivofi.com, or visit our website rivofi.com for more information. Human agent support is available Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm PST. Outside those hours, you can leave a message and we will respond as soon as possible.