Cash App (formerly Square Cash) is a digital wallet service for American consumers.[1] Launched by Block, Inc. in 2013, it allows users to send, receive or save money, access a debit card, invest in stocks or bitcoin,[2] apply for personal loans,[3] and file taxes.[4] As of 2024, Cash App reports 57 million users and $14.7 billion in annual revenue.[5][6]
History
2013–2015: Launch, early years
Cash App was launched by Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc. at its launch) on 13th October 2013,[7][1] under the name "Square Cash". Block's cofounder Jack Dorsey and Brian Grassadonia contributed to the product creation.[8][9]
In March 2015, Square introduced Square Cash for businesses. This allowed individuals, organizations, and business owners to create a unique username to send and receive money, known as a $cashtag.[10][11]
2016–2020: Feature additions
In September 2016, Cash App announced a guarantee of "instant deposit" for the money received via Cash App, if the user agreed to pay a 1% fee. Otherwise users would see deposits post to their Cash App account on the next business day. Block also introduced virtual payment cards that allow Cash App users to buy things on websites and apps using money stored in the app.[12]
In January 2018, Cash App added support for bitcoin trading.[13][14]
In October 2019, Cash App added support for stock trading to users in the United States.[15]
In November 2020, Square announced it was acquiring Credit Karma Tax, a free do-it-yourself tax-filing service, for $50 million and would make it a part of its Cash App unit.[16]
2021–present: Growth, U.S. focus
In 2021, Block announced an extension of the Cash App service to people over 13 years old for depositing and spending money or sending it to friends. Minors would not have access to investing or bitcoin features however, and they would still need their parent or guardians’ permission and significant oversight to use the app.[17]
According to a Pew Research Center report in September 2022, Cash App was found to have been used at least once by 26% of U.S. adults. The report also stated that lower-income adults were the most likely to use the app over other payment apps.[18]
In August 2023, Block announced a closure of Cash App's operations in the European Union under the "Verse" brand, citing a lack of growth and profitability for the service in European markets.[19] On September 7 and 8, 2023, Cash App experienced a service outage, affecting peer-to-peer payments and cash card purchases for thousands of users. Block stated on September 8 that the service was restored successfully by that day.[20][21]
In 2024, the service reported 57 million monthly transacting user accounts and $14.7 billion in annual revenues.[5][6] In June 2024, Block announced it was dropping its plan to launch Cash App in Australia.[22] In the following month, Cash App announced it would cease operations in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2024, citing a focus on prioritizing its U.S. market over global expansion.[23]
In August 2024, Cash App settled a $15 million class-action settlement for data and security breaches at the service. Users whose accounts were accessed without their authorization or who had fraudulent withdrawals or transfers could file claims for up to $2500, provided they had an account between August 23, 2018, and August 20, 2024. The class-action pointed a security breach in 2021, and another in 2023. As part of the settlement, Cash App and Block also agreed to take steps toward strengthening data security, while denying any wrongdoing.[24]
Services
Banking
The service allows users to send, receive, and store money within the United States, although international transfers were not initially supported.[25] Users can transfer money out of Cash App to a bank account in their country. The Cash Card is a customizable debit card that allows users to spend their money at various retailers and withdraw cash from an ATM.[26][27][28] When signing up for the Cash Card, users can customize it by selecting a color, adding stamps, drawing on it, and even making the card glow in the dark. The card with the final design is mailed to the user.[29]
As of March 7, 2018, the Cash App supports automated clearing house (ACH) direct deposits.[26] Cash App also supports cash deposits, called "Paper Money Deposits": cash is taken to a participating retailer, who scans a barcode to deposit the money with Cash App, which charges a fee of $1 or more, depending on the retailer.[30] As of August 2024, Cash App offers a 4.5% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings, provided that the account is set up to receive a monthly direct deposit of at least $300. Balances stored on the Cash App Card are FDIC-insured through Wells Fargo Bank for up to $250,000 per person.[31]
Peer-to-peer money transfer
Users can request money from and transfer to other Cash App accounts via phone number, email, or $cashtag[32] Cash App provides two options to transfer money into a third-party bank account: in 5 business days for free, or instantly with a 1.5% fee.[citation needed]
Unverified accounts can only send up to $250 per week and receive $1,000 per month. To verify an account, a user must submit their legal name, date of birth, and, in the US, the last four digits of their social security number. Verification raises the weekly sending limit to $7,500 per week and removes the receiving limit.[citation needed]
Cryptocurrency
In 2018, the capability to buy and sell bitcoincryptocurrency was added to the app.[13] for adult users only.[33] As of 2023[update] the only cryptocurrency supported by Cash App was bitcoin.[citation needed]
Investing
In 2020, the capability to trade stocks was added to the app for adult[33] United States residents only.[34] Users can buy and sell fractional shares of most publicly traded companies with a minimum of $1. Stock trading follows standard market hours of 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST and can be managed from the app's investing section.
Personal loans
In October 2023, it was reported that Cash App allowed a subset of users to borrow up to $200 from the app.[3]
Tax filing
In November 2020, Square acquired the tax-preparation division of Credit Karma, rolling it into the Cash App offering as Cash App Taxes.[35] The service offers online tax filing in the US, and is free to use for consumers, as it was before the acquisition. In March 2023, USA Today rated it "best overall", while noting that it didn't accommodate "every tax situation".[4]
Cash App is free to download for Android devices from Google Play, for iOS devices from the Apple App Store, and other mobile store platforms. Because the app is initially free, it incentivizes more users to create an account and use its services. Additional services beyond standard money transfers are available for small initial fixed costs plus percentage fees.[37]
Cash App's primary income is from users withdrawing funds from the app to their linked bank accounts. Money can be transferred into a third-party bank account without charge within five business days, or instantly for a 1.5% fee.[38]
If users do not have a direct deposit account with the app, they will be charged a $2 fee for withdrawing money from an ATM. Cash App allows users to buy and sell bitcoin from their platform for a small service fee based on the current bitcoin market volatility. Businesses can also accept Cash App as a form of payment and charge a transaction cost of 2.75%.
Like banks, Cash App can lend money deposited by users to various institutions, charging interest, known as money creation. Cash App is required to hold 10% of users' accounts liquidity as part of the fractional-reserve banking to protect depositors in the event of a bank run.
Safety and protection policies
Cash App uses standard encryption and fraud detection technology to protect users’ data. Balances stored on the Cash App Card are FDIC-insured through Wells Fargo Bank for up to $250,000 per person.[31] Moreover, the app states it uses multi-factor authentication and incorporates account transaction limits as well as consumer education to prevent fraud.[39]
Cash App has been called a "secure payment platform", and cited to be "Level 1 compliant" as per the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), in line with the security standards used by large credit card companies.[40] The app is among a group of peer-to-peer payment platforms—such as Zelle, Venmo, Apple Pay and Google Pay—that do not provide features to recover money sent by users to others.[41]
Fraud and illicit activity
Cash App and other payment platforms including Zelle, Venmo, Apple Pay and Google Pay have been reported as targets for internet scammers.[41] Common scams include customer support impersonation, fake offers and programs, and the selling of fake expensive items.[42] There is little buyer protection, making these scams hard to dispute, unlike payment services such as PayPal.[43]
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in use of payment apps, there has been a notable increase in reported scams.[44] In one instance, a man was scammed out of $24,000 by customer support impersonation.[45] In another instance, a scammer used the public video of a female Waffle House worker holding a baby in a kitchen to fabricate an emotional story. The scammer used social media to share their Cash App information in the hope of receiving donations.[46]
Millennials frequently utilize payment platforms like Cash App and Venmo to pay for illegal drugs or gamble.[47] In June 2021, police in West Baltimore arrested seven people for using Cash App to sell cocaine and heroin to nearby neighborhoods.[48]
Cultural impact
In 2018, Cash App surpassed Venmo in total downloads (33.5 million cumulative), becoming one of the most popular peer-to-peer payment platforms.
Cash App is mentioned by about 200 hip-hop artists in their song lyrics, leading some to assert that it is now "ingrained in hip-hop culture," with its popularity stemming from the Black community in Atlanta.[49] Some cite the early adoption of cryptocurrencies among members of the rap community as another reason for Cash App's cultural cachet. The popularity of the app in hip-hop is reflected in Square's partnerships with prominent rappers, such as Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, and Cardi B.[49]
Social media influencers frequently use Cash App to request donations from their followers. Every Friday since 2017, Twitter users retweet posts from the official Cash App account with the #SuperCashAppFriday hashtag to potentially win $10,000 to $50,000. These posts often have a notable amount of engagement.[50]
