Breakthrough banking for biotech & life sciences
The secure and powerful all-in-one banking solution for researchers and builders in diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and beyond.
Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank.
Trusted by over 200,000 startups
The right tools, from benchtop to commercialization
Free checking & savings accounts
Free USD wires & ACH payments
Debit & credit cards with custom controls1
Up to $5M in FDIC insurance2
Empirically better banking for biotech & life sciences
Total Peace of Mind
Deposit protection is in our DNA
Get up to $5M2 in FDIC insurance through our partner banks and sweep networks, and prompts to move uninsured funds into lower-risk investments through Mercury Vault.
Top-Tier Cash Management
Put your company’s idle cash to work
Set rules to automatically move surplus funds from your operating account to your Mercury Treasury account and earn up to 5.30%* yield with funds offered by Morgan Stanley and Vanguard.
Global Payments
Send payments, skip the fees and phone calls
Pay your team and contractors with free wires (sent in USD), ACH payments, and checks without spending time away from the lab. Plus, save even more time by setting up recurring payments.
Tools That Work Smarter
Less time on AP, more time for R&D
Customize team permissions, allow your payroll provider to process wire drawdowns, drag and drop invoices to pay them quickly, plus sync with QuickBooks and Xero and download NetSuite-friendly reports.
Instant Spending Power
Earn 1.5% on everything you explore
Earn cashback3, empower your team with credit cards, and stay in control with customized spending limits for each card. No annual fee or credit check required.
Here’s the evidence to prove it
Transparent pricing from day one
- FDIC-insured checking & savings
- No monthly fees or overdraft fees
- Free domestic and international (USD) wires
- Free ACH transfers
- Flat 1% currency exchange fee
- 1.5% cashback on all credit spend
- Free DACAs & Letters of Credit
Leave no questions unanswered
See full FAQWhat do I need to apply for an account?
You’ll need a U.S. company with a federal EIN, your company’s official formation documents, and a picture of your government ID (e.g., a passport or U.S. driver’s license).Customers must have some type of existing or planned operations in the U.S. and a U.S. or international address for their principal place of business. This can be a residential address, but may not be a registered agent, PO box, or UPS box address. Our customer base includes startups and ecommerce companies, as well as venture capital firms with entities in the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, and United Arab Emirates. Upon applying, we’ll review to ensure you have up-to-date formation documents and otherwise satisfy our onboarding requirements.We cannot currently open accounts for founders operating in the following countries and regions: Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Rep, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Croatia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Macao, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia, Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine (specifically, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and and Crimea).
What does it cost to use Mercury?
Mercury is free to use, however, certain advanced features may incur fees. These include: making mass payments on our API, accessing Mercury Treasury account management, exchanging money in non-USD currencies, and sending USD internationally with optional premium processing. There are no account minimums, overdraft fees, monthly fees, or account opening fees. Get more details on our Pricing page.
Is wiring USD internationally really free?
Yes, as a Mercury customer, USD international wires are always free for you to send. We offer two options for how those wires are processed. The first, coded as SHA, is standard among most banks and while free to you, may result in intermediary bank fees that are absorbed by your recipient. The second, coded as OUR, gives you the option to pay a flat fee of $15 so that any intermediary fees will be charged back to Mercury, making it more likely your recipient will receive the full amount.
How does Mercury keep my money safe?
Your checking and savings deposits are held in your name across a sweep network of multiple regulated banks. Through this program, we’ve upgraded the FDIC insurance on Mercury checking and savings accounts to up to $5M2 — 20x the per bank limit.In addition to working with our banking partners to keep your funds secure, Mercury’s world-class fraud engineering and compliance teams work together to build tools and processes that spot suspicious activities and stop them in their tracks.
Are my deposits FDIC-insured?
Mercury checking and savings deposits are FDIC-insured up to $5M2 through our partner banks and use of sweep networks. As a broader effort, we are working on expanding all coverage even further. You can learn more about FDIC insurance here.
How does Mercury make money?
Our primary revenue stream comes from interest earned on deposits.Additionally, when you use your debit card or IO credit card, Visa and Mastercard charge a fee to the merchants — we receive a percentage of this fee, 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 platforms does Mercury integrate with?
Mercury is fully integrated with accounting tools like QuickBooks Online, Xero, and NetSuite, allowing you to automatically sync your transactions. Additionally, you can authorize wire drawdowns, most commonly used for payroll processing, with payroll providers such as Gusto, Sequoia One, ADP, and TriNet. Mercury is also compatible with payment processors like Stripe, Square, Shopify, and Paypal.
Open your account in 10 minutes or less
Get started with banking you can trust with your breakthrough.
Open Account* Mercury Treasury, by Mercury Advisory, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, seeks to earn net returns
up to 5.30% annually on your idle cash. Net yield
numbers as of 09/02/2024, 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.
- Deposits in Mercury checking and savings accounts are held by our partner banks, Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through insurance to apply. Learn more here.
- 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.