Get growing with the IO credit card
Give your startup a head start with the IO Mastercard.1 Unlock unlimited 1.5% cashback2, higher credit limits, and powerful spend management tools.
Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.
Trusted by dynamic companies
Stacked in your favor at every stage
1.5% cashback on all spend
Startup-friendly credit limits
All-in-one banking & credit cards
Spend management that scales with you
Accelerate your startup’s growth with IO
AUTOMATIC CASHBACK REWARDS
Effortlessly increase your cash flow
Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all spend, automatically deposited into your account – it’s that simple. No confusing point systems, no manual redemption.
Credit Limits Designed For Startups
Harness more spending power
IO offers higher credit limits to newly-incorporated customers and those with limited credit history, thanks to our startup-friendly underwriting model.
All-in-one Financial Platform
Streamline your finances with everything in one place
IO is part of Mercury’s complete banking platform, with a 360° view of your accounts and cash flow, in one intuitive dashboard.
Customizable Controls
Grow confidently with spend management tools
IO scales alongside your startup with cards for your whole team, custom spend limits, powerful permissions, merchant-locked cards, and detailed reporting.
Powerful Integrations
Close the books fast with finance automations
Ditch the data entry and sync transactions to accounting software like Quickbooks and Xero — even generate NetSuite-friendly reports.
Instant Spending Power
Unlock credit that moves as fast as you do
With low deposit minimums and instant virtual cards while physical cards arrive, you can start spending and maximizing your cash flow right away.
Part of Mercury’s all-in-one platform
Sign up for IO and get all of Mercury’s banking tools for $0/month. Learn more.
Checking and savings FDIC-insured up to $5M.3
Treasury* management that earns up to 5.50% APY.
Free ACH, checks, and wires sent in USD.
Access to venture debt to extend your runway.
The power of IO
- No interest or annual fees
- Use IO internationally without FX fees
- Mastercard Zero Liability and Fraud Protection1
- iOS and Android apps
- Support when you need it via chat or email
- Discounts on tools like Microsoft and Adobe
- Open Account
Thousands of startups spend smarter with IO
When you have questions, we have answers
See full FAQHow do I sign up for IO?
Start by signing up for a Mercury account. You will need to deposit up to $25K into your account to become eligible for IO. You will need to maintain an average cash balance roughly equal to $25K in your Mercury account to keep your credit account active.
We do not run a credit check during the IO application process, so your personal credit score will not be considered or affected.
We do not run a credit check during the IO application process, so your personal credit score will not be considered or affected.
How do I earn 1.5% cashback?
When you spend with IO, you’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cashback on every purchase. You can use IO anywhere that accepts Mastercard credit cards. Your cashback will be automatically deposited into your account at the end of each month.
What will my credit limit be?
Mercury has a startup-friendly underwriting model — we understand that our customers may be newly incorporated, retain low cash balances, and have limited credit or banking history. Because all IO customers hold cash within Mercury, we can more accurately understand your financial position, and offer a higher credit limit than what is typically offered to startups by traditional banks.
Your credit limit will be determined by your Mercury account balance. Your limit might increase as your Mercury balance increases, but your credit limit may also decrease. Currently, we reassess your business limit following large withdrawals and deposits.
Your credit limit will be determined by your Mercury account balance. Your limit might increase as your Mercury balance increases, but your credit limit may also decrease. Currently, we reassess your business limit following large withdrawals and deposits.
How often do I need to pay off my IO balance?
Like most business credit cards on the market, IO is a charge card, which means that you will need to pay off your full IO balance every pay period. Your pay period may be daily or monthly, depending on the average cash balance in your Mercury account. We’ll automatically deduct your full balance from your chosen Mercury account on a date of your choosing. You can also pay off your card early at any time.
Does IO have any fees?
No, IO does not have any annual fees or foreign exchange fees. And because you’ll pay off your IO card automatically each pay period, you won’t incur any interest.
Mercury primarily makes money from interest earned on customer deposits in Mercury bank accounts. Additionally, when you use your IO credit card or a Mercury debit card, Visa and Mastercard charge a fee to the merchants — we receive a percentage of this fee paid by the merchants, known as interchange. We also earn money on foreign exchange processing on international wires, as well as fees paid on Mercury Treasury* and Mercury Venture Debt.
Mercury primarily makes money from interest earned on customer deposits in Mercury bank accounts. Additionally, when you use your IO credit card or a Mercury debit card, Visa and Mastercard charge a fee to the merchants — we receive a percentage of this fee paid by the merchants, known as interchange. We also earn money on foreign exchange processing on international wires, as well as fees paid on Mercury Treasury* and Mercury Venture Debt.
What spend management features does IO have?
IO has a suite of spend management features to help you scale your team and grow your business, with confidence and control. With IO you can issue unlimited cards to your team (either individually or in bulk with our Google Workspaces integration); and you can grant card-only access to team members to control who can view your bank account details. You can set custom daily, weekly, or monthly spend limits for individual team members, as well as custom card expiration dates. Additionally, you can create merchant cards, which allow you to lock cards to a specific merchant (from our list of over 1,000 merchants) and set custom spend limits on those merchants.
* Mercury Treasury, by Mercury Advisory, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, seeks to earn net returns
up to 5.50% annually on your idle cash. Net yield
numbers as of 12/04/2023, and assumes total Mercury deposits of $20M+.
Mercury Treasury, by Mercury Advisory, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. SEC registration does not mean the SEC has approved of the services of the investment adviser.
Mercury Advisory, LLC (the “Firm”) is an investment management firm that offers a wrap fee program that allows small businesses to invest idle cash in relatively low-risk, short-term instruments. Please see the ADV Wrap Fee Brochure for further information regarding fees and conflicts.
The performance discussed herein is historic and reflects an investment for a limited period of time. It should not be assumed that future investors would experience returns, if any, comparable to those illustrated herein. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investment results will fluctuate. Returns are not guaranteed. All investments are subject to the risk of loss, including the loss of principal. No representation is being made that an investment account has, will, or is likely to achieve profits or losses equal to the profits or losses shown. Actual returns will vary greatly and depend on personal and market conditions. Before investing, consider your financial goals and the costs of using the program.
Furthermore, the information set forth has been obtained from sources that the Firm believes to be reliable; however, these sources cannot be guaranteed as to their accuracy or completeness. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. The information has been prepared solely for the purpose of determining your level of interest in Mercury Treasury and to provide general background information on such algorithmic investment program.
Mercury Treasury, by Mercury Advisory, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. SEC registration does not mean the SEC has approved of the services of the investment adviser.
Mercury Advisory, LLC (the “Firm”) is an investment management firm that offers a wrap fee program that allows small businesses to invest idle cash in relatively low-risk, short-term instruments. Please see the ADV Wrap Fee Brochure for further information regarding fees and conflicts.
The performance discussed herein is historic and reflects an investment for a limited period of time. It should not be assumed that future investors would experience returns, if any, comparable to those illustrated herein. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investment results will fluctuate. Returns are not guaranteed. All investments are subject to the risk of loss, including the loss of principal. No representation is being made that an investment account has, will, or is likely to achieve profits or losses equal to the profits or losses shown. Actual returns will vary greatly and depend on personal and market conditions. Before investing, consider your financial goals and the costs of using the program.
Furthermore, the information set forth has been obtained from sources that the Firm believes to be reliable; however, these sources cannot be guaranteed as to their accuracy or completeness. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. The information has been prepared solely for the purpose of determining your level of interest in Mercury Treasury and to provide general background information on such algorithmic investment program.
This information contains certain “forward-looking statements,” which may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “estimated,” “potential” and other similar terms.
Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to financial condition, results of operations, and success or lack of success of the depicted investment strategy. All are subject to various factors, including, but not limited to general and local economic conditions, changing levels of competition within certain industries and markets, changes in interest rates, changes in legislation or regulation, and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting operations that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results.
Targeted returns (e.g., forward-looking statements of performance up to a stated return) reflects the returns that the Firm is seeking to achieve over a particular period of time. Projected returns reflect the Firm’s performance estimate – i.e., the returns that the Firm believes can be achieved using the advertised investment services. Target returns are presented to inform clients or potential clients about the Firm’s risk tolerances when managing the Mercury Treasury strategy and to provide information useful to a client or potential client when assessing how the Firm’s strategy fits within the investor’s overall portfolio. Target returns are not guarantees or promises of future return.
Mercury Treasury is not insured by the FDIC. Mercury Treasury are not deposits or other obligations of Choice Financial Group or Evolve Bank & Trust, and are not guaranteed by Choice Financial Group or Evolve Bank & Trust. Mercury Treasury products are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested.
Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to financial condition, results of operations, and success or lack of success of the depicted investment strategy. All are subject to various factors, including, but not limited to general and local economic conditions, changing levels of competition within certain industries and markets, changes in interest rates, changes in legislation or regulation, and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting operations that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results.
Targeted returns (e.g., forward-looking statements of performance up to a stated return) reflects the returns that the Firm is seeking to achieve over a particular period of time. Projected returns reflect the Firm’s performance estimate – i.e., the returns that the Firm believes can be achieved using the advertised investment services. Target returns are presented to inform clients or potential clients about the Firm’s risk tolerances when managing the Mercury Treasury strategy and to provide information useful to a client or potential client when assessing how the Firm’s strategy fits within the investor’s overall portfolio. Target returns are not guarantees or promises of future return.
Mercury Treasury is not insured by the FDIC. Mercury Treasury are not deposits or other obligations of Choice Financial Group or Evolve Bank & Trust, and are not guaranteed by Choice Financial Group or Evolve Bank & Trust. Mercury Treasury products are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested.
Footnotes
- The Mercury Debit Cards are issued by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC, pursuant to licenses from MasterCard. The IO Card is issued by Patriot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from MasterCard.
- To receive cashback, your Mercury accounts must be open and in good standing, meaning they cannot be suspended, restricted, past due, or otherwise in default. Learn more about cashback.
- Deposits in Mercury checking and savings accounts are held by our partner banks, Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®, Members FDIC. Through sweep networks, these funds become eligible for up to $5M in FDIC Insurance. Learn more here.