FAQ

Fort Knox is a high-security savings account, designed for anyone who wants maximum protection for their savings. Built on a proprietary, patent-pending, secure closed-loop funds transfer architecture with industry-first account protections and enhanced by CLEAR^®1’s next-generation identity verification, Fort Knox fundamentally reimagines how banks protect customer assets. Unlike traditional accounts and apps that attempt to balance convenience with security, Fort Knox was built from the ground up to prioritize security at every level. Whether you’re saving for your future, protecting your family’s funds, or just want a smarter way to grow your money—Fort Knox is built to give you complete confidence in the security of your savings.

Anyone 18 or older with a valid U.S. ID and a U.S. bank account can apply. We verify your identity as part of our high-security onboarding process.

Yes! You can open a personal savings account right away. We’re also in the process of launching business savings accounts, which will be available to select industries and business types where we have extensive expertise. Stay tuned for more updates!

Fort Knox is fundamentally different than any savings account that exists today. Our proprietary patent-pending and industry-first Closed-Loop Protection™ limits deposits and withdrawals to the same verified funding source. The only place your money can go is back to where it came from. Fort Knox savings account numbers are restricted and incompatible with any external funds transfer system. If suspicious account activity is ever detected, your account automatically enters Lockdown™ status, giving you the time and opportunity to review and verify the activity. Fort Knox contains multiple defined security zones from login to funds transfers. Within these zones, you can configure your own security measures with a Microsoft^®5 Authenticator soft token or a YubiKey^®2 physical token. And Fort Knox does not allow for instant withdrawals. Ever. Scams rely on speed to drain accounts before their victims notice, whereas every Fort Knox withdrawal remains pending for two days. Notifications will give you ample time to review the withdrawal request.

Fort Knox is currently available only through our mobile app. We’ve designed it to be fast, secure, and easy to use—so you can check your balance, track activity, and move funds anytime, anywhere, right from your phone.

Yes! Fort Knox is a division of Austin Capital Bank, a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured independent community bank headquartered in Austin, Texas. As the bank behind Fort Knox, we’ve been recognized as a national leader in financial services technology, security, and innovation. Our banking platforms have over 1 million users nationwide.

Yes. Your savings at Austin Capital Bank are covered by FDIC insurance. Terms and conditions apply.

You’ll earn one of the country’s most competitive interest rates, surpassing many major banks. The more money you deposit, the greater your interest rate. Visit the Personal page on our site to see our interest rate tiers.

Yes, there’s a small monthly maintenance fee of $10/month—but it’s automatically waived when you keep an average monthly balance of $1,000 or more in your account. No hidden charges, and no surprises. We want your money to grow, not shrink from unnecessary fees.

No, not at this time, but it’s on our radar. We’re working on ways to safely support joint account access while maintaining our high-security standards.

Opening a Fort Knox account is fast, easy, and secure—just use your phone! Simply download the Fort Knox app, follow the step-by-step instructions, and we’ll guide you through the process. Most customers complete it in just a few minutes.

You’ll be prompted to securely connect your existing bank account during setup using our trusted bank-linking partners. This connection lets you move money in and out of your Fort Knox account with ease, and it’s fully encrypted for your safety.

An initial deposit is the first transfer you make into your new Fort Knox Savings Account. It helps us confirm your external bank account and kickstarts your savings. You’ll be asked to make this deposit during onboarding—no big amounts required!

We’ll need some basic info to get started:

• Your full legal name
• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• A valid U.S. ID (like a driver’s license or passport)
• A U.S. bank account to link for transfers

We require this information to verify your identity and keep your account secure.

We take your security seriously. Verifying your identity helps us make sure it’s really you—and not someone pretending to be you. It also keeps us compliant with banking regulations and helps prevent fraud.

Yes! If you return within 15 days, you can pick up right where you left off. We’ll save your progress so you don’t have to start over. After 15 days, your application will expire and you’ll need to begin a new one.

Applications can be denied for a few reasons—most commonly if we couldn’t verify your identity or if something didn’t match the info we received. Don’t worry, we’ll always let you know what happened and if there’s anything you can do to try again.

During setup, you’ll be asked to securely link your bank account using a trusted third-party connection like Plaid^®3 or Finicity ^®4. Just search for your bank, securely authenticate into your online banking credentials, and authorize the connection. It’s fast, secure, and encrypted.s

Some smaller banks or credit unions may not be supported yet by our linking partner.sp

Linking an external account allows you to move money in and out of your Fort Knox Savings Account. It also helps us verify your identity and where your funds are coming from—important for your security and compliance with banking regulations.pa

If the link doesn’t go through, try again later or check your login credentials. Still stuck? Contact our support team and they can help troubleshoot or offer another way to connect your bank.c

No, each Fort Knox Savings Account can only be linked to one external bank account. This helps us keep your account more secure and ensures all transfers are easy to track and verify.e

Fort Knox automatically monitors the transactions of your external bank account to detect and prevent fraudulent activity before it can compromise your savings.

What we’re looking for:

• The ownership of the external account matches the ownership of the Fort Knox Savings Account
• Transfers in or out of Fort Knox correspond with the expected transfer to or from your external funding account
• The external funding account hasn’t been compromised, which could put your savings at risk

This monitoring enables us to quickly detect potential fraud and lock down your account if needed, stopping it before it ever occurs. This information is not used for marketing or sale, only for keeping your money safe.

Your data is protected with bank-grade encryption, biometric security, and constant monitoring. We never sell your information, and your privacy and safety are our top priorities.

The Security Center is your personal control hub within the app. It’s where you manage your security settings, review account activity, and take action if anything suspicious comes up.

Security Measures are the safeguards you enable to protect your account—like Face ID, verified phone numbers, trusted devices, authenticator app, physical tokens and support challenge phrases. The more you turn on, the more secure your account becomes.

An Enhanced Security Zone is a high-security area of the Fort Knox app—such as logging in, transferring funds, or managing two-factor authentication—where you can add extra layers of protection, such as a Microsoft^®5 authenticator soft token or a YubiKey^®2 physical token. You control the level of security, ensuring that only you can access these sensitive parts of your account.

Yes! You can instantly lock your account anytime within the Security Center. This blocks all transactions until you choose to unlock it—giving you a quick and powerful way to protect your money if something doesn’t seem right.

Your Customer Support Challenge Phrase is a shared secret between you and Fort Knox. When you contact support, you ask the question, and our agent provides the correct answer. It’s a two-way verification tool that confirms both your identity and that you’re speaking with a trusted, authorized Fort Knox representative.

• Protected status means your Fort Knox account is actively monitoring your linked external bank account. You can move money in and out freely, with no restrictions.
• Lockdown™ status happens when we’re no longer able to monitor your linked account—this could be due to a connection issue or a change at your bank. You’ll have 30 days to relink the same external account. If you fail to link the same external account, your Fort Knox savings account will go into permanent lockdown. While in lockdown, incoming transfers are blocked, and outgoing transfers face stricter limits for your security.

CLEAR^®1 is our trusted mobile identity verification technology partner. You may be asked to verify your identity with CLEAR^®1 during onboarding or before making large transfers.

Biometric authentication uses features like Face ID or fingerprint recognition to verify it’s really you. At Fort Knox, we require this added layer of security to help protect your account and savings from unauthorized access.

No worries—it happens. Make sure you’re in a well-lit area and follow the prompts closely. If it still doesn’t work, we’ll give you options to try again or reach out to Customer Support for help.

You can only change your linked external account if your original account has been disconnected and your Fort Knox account is in Lockdown™ status. In that case, you’ll have 30 days to relink the same external account. If that’s not possible, you’ll be given the option to link a new one before the account enters permanent lockdown.

To close a Fort Knox Savings Account, go to the savings account overview and tap Close Account. We’ll help you withdraw any remaining funds and confirm your request. We’ll be sad to see you go, but we’ll make the process smooth and secure.

Fort Knox currently supports the following:

• ACH PULL-IN (Initial Deposit ONLY): This is used for Fort Knox to PULL your initial deposit FROM your external bank account.
• ACH PUSH-IN (Deposit): This is used to PUSH deposits funds FROM your external bank account TO your Fort Knox Savings Account.
• ACH PUSH-OUT (Withdraw): This is used to PUSH withdrawals funds FROM your Fort Knox Savings Account TO your External bank account.
• ACH PULL-OUT (Withdraw): During Lockdown™ status, we may allow you to PULL funds FROM your Fort Knox Savings Account TO your external bank account.
• Wire transfers are not available yet, but we’re actively building that feature and will soon support incoming wires. Stay tuned!

Depositing funds into Fort Knox is unique and highly secure.

• • Initial Deposit: Upon opening your Fort Knox savings account, and linking your external bank account, you will make a small initial deposit. Fort Knox will PULL the initial deposit FROM your external bank account and securely deposit it INTO your Fort Knox Savings Account.
  • Additional Deposits: To make additional deposits into your Fort Knox savings account, you must transfer funds FROM your External Bank account TO your Fort Knox Savings Account. To do this, you’ll need to visit your external bank’s online banking portal, and add your Fort Knox secure transfer account and routing number. Most banks will first verify your Fort Knox account—usually with small “micro-deposits” before allowing transfers. Important: We only accept incoming transfers from the external account you’ve linked to you Fort Knox Savings Account. Any funds sent from a different bank account will be rejected as unauthorized for your security.

To withdraw funds from your Fort Knox Savings Account, you’ll need to initiate the transfer from the Fort Knox app. Withdrawals will be initiated FROM your Fort Knox Savings Account TO your linked external bank account. Just go to the Transfers section in the app, select the amount, select the date of the transfer, and confirm the transfer.

Interest will begin to accrue as soon as your funds have posted into your Fort Knox Savings Account.

Funds become available for withdrawal after the transfer is complete and fully processed. Then, a standard clearing period applies—3 business days for wire transfers and 5 business days for ACH transfers. This extra step helps ensure your funds are safe and secure. Once the clearing period ends, your funds are fully available.

No. Fort Knox does not allow for transfers between Fort Knox Savings Accounts.

Limits can vary based on your account activity, security status, and external bank policies. Please refer to the app for the specific limits that apply to your account, or contact Customer Support if you need more details.

You can begin transferring funds after successfully linking your external account. However, there may be a short verification period to ensure the connection is secure before transfers can be made.

Fort Knox only accepts transfers from the external bank account that is linked to your Fort Knox Savings Account. If you send money from a different external bank, the transaction will be rejected.

A transfer may be rejected or delayed for a few reasons, including insufficient funds, incorrect account details, or security monitoring alerts. If your transfer is delayed, check the app for updates or reach out to customer support for assistance.

You can access your Fort Knox Savings Account statements directly in the app. Simply go to the Statements section to view or download your account history.

Tax forms for your Fort Knox Savings Account can be accessed in the app under the Statements section. These are available for download or view at the end of each tax year.

Fort Knox uses Account Cloaking™. Fort Knox savings account numbers are restricted and incompatible with any external funds transfer system. You can find your account number by navigating to the account details section in the Fort Knox app. It will be displayed under your Account information. Fort Knox uses Secure Transfer Accounts allowing you to Push money into Fort Knox.

You can contact Fort Knox customer support through the app or via our support email and phone number, both of which are listed under the Support section in the app.

Fort Knox offers various communication methods, including email, text messages, and in-app notifications. You can choose your preferred communication method in the app’s settings.

No—we will never include links in our emails, or SMS messages. If we need you to take action, we’ll always ask you to open the Fort Knox app directly. This helps protect you from phishing and keeps your account secure. If you ever get a message that looks suspicious, don’t click—just contact us through the app.