Wealthfront Is Launching a Money Market Fund

Money market funds are increasingly popular with investors looking for a low-risk and highly liquid way to earn yield on cash. Today, the asset class is over $7 trillion and growing.

We’re excited to announce that Wealthfront is launching its own money market fund, the Wealthfront Treasury Money Market Fund (“WLTXX”), which is designed to lower client costs and improve after-tax returns. Starting on December 1, 2025, WLTXX will replace RBC BlueBay U.S. Government Money Market Fund (“TIMXX”), in Cash Accounts. WLTXX’s expense ratio will be 0.25% (lower than TIMXX at 0.27%), and it is intended to offer clients a competitive after-tax yield because it will invest primarily in debt securities issued by the US Treasury, whose interest is generally exempt from state and local taxes.

WLTXX’s initial yield will be available at the end of the day on December 1, and will be expressed as a seven-day average (which is standard for money market funds). Because new money market funds can have a lower yield at launch relative to their expected long-term yield, we are waiving the expense ratio for all clients for the first three months.

Read on for more information about WLTXX.

What is a money market fund?

Money market funds are a type of mutual fund that invests in liquid, near-term securities. These can include cash, cash equivalent securities, and high-credit-rating debt-based securities with a short-term maturity (like US Treasuries). They are popular because they offer investors a low-risk and highly liquid way to invest cash.

• Low risk: Money market funds can be invested in various low-risk investment vehicles, including US Treasuries, which are considered by members of the industry to be very low-risk investments.
• Liquid: Money market funds typically make it easy to access your money and most do not charge transaction fees. When you sell shares, your cash is usually available within 1-2 business days.

Even with these shared characteristics, it’s important to know that not all money market funds are created equal. Since many money market holdings may include securities like US Treasuries, repurchase agreements, or even cash, tax advantages will vary. Their expense ratios also differ, but the average is 0.38%.

Why is Wealthfront launching a money market fund?

At Wealthfront, we’re always looking for ways to lower costs and help clients improve their after-tax returns so they can keep more of what they earn. Launching WLTXX will help us offer both of those things to Cash Account clients, while providing a low-risk way to earn potential yield on cash.

• WLTXX offers clients a low-risk way to earn yield: WLTXX will invest primarily in US Treasuries, and US Treasury money market funds are generally considered the safest type of money market fund.
• WLTXX is designed to offer tax advantages: Income from US Treasuries within WLTXX will generally be exempt from state and local taxes. This is an advantage that other funds invested in other securities (like TIMXX, which holds other securities and a lower percentage of US Treasuries) do not offer.
• WLTXX’s expense ratio is lower than the fund it is replacing: WLTXX’s expense ratio is 0.25%, lower than the 0.27% expense ratio for TIMXX.
• WLTXX allows us to build a better client experience: We believe that launching our own money market fund gives us an opportunity to build a better experience for clients in the future.

Our Cash Account, which offers access to a high APY (annual percentage yield) provided by program banks, free instant withdrawals, and checking features, is already popular with clients. We’re excited to further improve the Cash Account by adding this new option, allowing clients to benefit from the tax efficiency of a US Treasury money market fund and SIPC coverage up to applicable limits.

Who should consider WLTXX?

WLTXX will be available as an option for Cash Accounts, just like TIMXX (the money market fund it is replacing). It is designed to be a low-risk, highly liquid investment that seeks to increase the after-tax yield on your cash. However, tax treatment will depend on your individual situation. If you have questions, it’s wise to speak with a tax professional.

Keep in mind that selecting the money market option in your Cash Account means you’ll pay an expense ratio, which you would otherwise not pay on funds held in your Cash Account (although WLTXX’s yield will be presented net of any fees). WLTXX could be right for you if you believe the expected yield, which may include a tax benefit, will increase your overall after-tax yield in the Cash Account.

How can I get started with WLTXX?

WLTXX will start operating on December 1, but you can allocate money in your Cash Account to the money market fund option anytime. If you do this before December 1, you’ll hold TIMXX to start and we’ll automatically reinvest it in the new fund as soon as it opens. You can learn more about WLTXX before it’s available by heading over to our help center and reading the prospectus on the SEC’s website (just search for “WLTXX”).

To get started, open up your Cash Account in the Wealthfront app and click on “Manage.” From there, you can choose the amount you’d like to allocate to the money market fund, and we’ll take it from there.

An investor should consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the fund carefully before investing. A prospectus which contains this and other information about the fund may be obtained by calling 844-995-8437 or emailing support@wealthfront.com. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing.