News/Marketplace/Treasury Management/Business Investment Accounts in 2026

Business Investment Accounts in 2026

Mohammad HumaidPublished at: October 20, 2026 Updated at: October 21, 2026

A business investment account lets your company hold securities such as money market funds, Treasury bills and government bonds in its own name. Cash the business does not need this quarter can earn a market rate while it stays in the company's name, ready to sell whenever you need the money back.

The hard part is the setup. A corporate investment account needs company documents, checks on directors and owners and an active LEI, and getting all three ready takes time if you start late. Meanwhile euro area banks paid companies an average of 0.61% on overnight deposits in August 2026.

This is where we come in. We introduce your company to Sophic, a service of Athlos Capital Investment Services Ltd, a CySEC-regulated investment firm. You choose the instruments and amounts. Sophic executes your orders and holds the investments. We check that you qualify and prepare the onboarding with you.

Open a Business Investment Account for Company Cash

An investment account with Sophic in your company's name. We prepare the onboarding with you, and you choose the instruments and amounts.

Money market funds: Currently from 2% p.a. before fees, a variable return that can fall.
Treasury bills: Currently from 2.5% p.a. before fees, repaid at maturity.
Government bonds: Currently from 3% p.a. before fees, with regular interest.
Your company's name: Holdings are held for the company, not for a director.
Digital onboarding: About a day, then invested 2 to 3 business days later.
No lock-in: Sell when you need cash, at the market price.

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

Sophic

Treasury management

Yield

2% to 3%+ p.a

Fees

0.3% a year + €10 per order

Eligibility

EU/EEA businesses with an LEI

View Instruments

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

What Is a Business Investment Account

A business investment account is an account with an authorised investment firm that holds securities, such as funds, bills and bonds, in a company's name. It is not a bank deposit. An investment account for business works like a personal one, but in the company's name, with company documents and directors' approval behind every order. The company buys and sells through the firm, and a custodian holds the assets apart from the firm's own.

How It Differs From a Business Savings Account

A savings account is a bank deposit: the bank owes you the balance plus interest, and the deposit guarantee covers €100,000 per bank. A business investment account holds securities instead. Their value can move, they are not covered by the deposit guarantee, and repayment depends on the issuer or the fund's holdings rather than on the bank. Our guide to the best business savings account covers the deposit side.

Who Holds the Assets

MiFID II requires investment firms to protect clients' ownership rights in their securities and money, and to keep them apart from the firm's own assets (Article 16(8) and (9)). In practice the securities sit with a custodian and client cash in segregated accounts at a bank. With Sophic, client cash is held in segregated accounts at J.P. Morgan and investments are safeguarded by SIX Group.

What a Corporate Investment Account Can Hold

What a corporate investment account can hold depends on the firm. Some offer shares and corporate bonds. Others focus on cash-like instruments. Sophic offers money market funds in EUR, GBP and USD, Treasury bills from the EU, Germany, France, Cyprus, the UK and the US, and government bonds from the same issuers plus Greece and Spain.

Who Can Open a Company Investment Account

Any company with legal capacity to hold investments can open a company investment account, subject to the firm's checks. The firm will look at where the company is incorporated, its sector, its owners and its documents, classify it as a retail or professional client and ask for an LEI before it can trade bills or bonds.

Limited Companies and Holding Companies

A limited company investment account is opened in the company's name, with directors authorised to place orders under a board resolution. Holding companies often use one for dividends from subsidiaries or the proceeds of a sale. Holding companies may need additional checks before onboarding. Our guide to opening a bank account for holding companies covers the banking side.

Retail or Professional Client

Under MiFID II, a company is treated as a professional client by default only if it meets two of three tests: a balance sheet total of €20,000,000, net turnover of €40,000,000 and own funds of €2,000,000 (Annex II). Most small and mid-sized companies are retail clients, which gives them the fullest information and protection rules. A small business investment account is usually a retail one.

You Need an LEI

EU investment firms cannot buy Treasury bills or bonds for a company without a Legal Entity Identifier (Article 13(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/590). Buying fund shares directly from a fund's administrator is not covered by that rule, but Sophic asks for an active LEI at onboarding. See how to get an LEI number.

Sophic

Treasury management

Yield

2% to 3%+ p.a

Fees

0.3% a year + €10 per order

Eligibility

EU/EEA businesses with an LEI

View Instruments

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

Documents for a Corporate Investment Account

Opening a corporate investment account needs much the same documents as a business bank account. The firm checks that the company exists, who runs it, who owns it and where its money comes from. Having the set ready before you apply is the quickest way to cut onboarding time.

Certificate of incorporation: Proof the company exists, plus any change of name.
Articles of association: To confirm the company can hold investments.
Registers of directors and shareholders: Current versions, certified if asked.
Beneficial owner details: Everyone owning or controlling 25% or more, with ID and proof of address.
Board resolution: Approving the account and naming who can place orders.
Active LEI: The 20-character code, with its renewal date.
Source of funds: A short explanation of where the cash to be invested comes from.

The list matches what banks ask for, as our guide to the documents needed to open a business bank account shows. If any document is old, refresh it before you apply.

Why the Firm Asks About Source of Funds

Investment firms must run anti-money laundering checks on every client, as banks do. They ask where the cash comes from, such as trading profits, a funding round or the sale of a subsidiary, and may ask for evidence. A clear one-paragraph answer with a recent bank statement usually settles it. Our guide to business bank account requirements explains the same checks on the banking side.

Keep Your LEI Current

An LEI must be renewed every year, and a lapsed one can block new orders on bills and bonds. Check its status before you apply and put the renewal date in the finance calendar. Our guide to LEI renewal covers the process.

Corporate Investment Account Setup Done With You

We check whether your company qualifies for Sophic and prepare the file with you, so nothing is missing when you apply.

Eligibility checked first: Country, sector and LEI checked before any paperwork.
One document list: Everything onboarding needs, asked for once.
Beneficial owners covered: We tell you exactly what each owner needs to provide.
Three currencies: Money market funds in EUR, GBP or USD.
One point of contact: We stay with you until onboarding is complete.

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

Business Investment Account vs Savings Account

A business investment account and a savings account suit different cash. A savings account gives deposit guarantee cover up to €100,000 per bank and a known rate. An investment account holds funds, bills and bonds that pay a market rate with no lock-in, but are not covered by the guarantee and can move in value.

Factor	Business savings account	Money market fund	Treasury bills	Government bonds
Current rate	0.75% on demand, 2.25% fixed for 12 months (permanent tsb, July 2026)	Currently from 2% p.a. before fees, variable and can fall	Currently from 2.5% p.a. before fees	Currently from 3% p.a. before fees
Access to cash	Same day, or after the notice period or term	Usually the same day or the next	At maturity, or sold early at the market price	At maturity, or sold early at the market price
Lock-in	None on demand accounts, yes on fixed terms	None	None, but the price moves if sold early	None, but the price moves if sold early
Deposit guarantee cover	Up to €100,000 per bank	Not covered	Not covered	Not covered
Main risk	The bank's balance sheet above €100,000	Value can fall, rare limits on redemptions	Price change before maturity	Price change before maturity, larger for longer bonds

The table shows why many companies use both. A savings account holds cash under the guarantee limit or cash needed at a fixed date. A business investment account holds the larger balances above it. Fund, bill and bond figures are Sophic's current starting yields, before fees. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

The Business Investment Savings Account Label

Some banks sell a "business investment savings account" that is really a notice or fixed deposit with a higher rate. Others use the name for an account that holds funds. Before you open one, ask a single question: is this a bank deposit covered by the guarantee, or are these securities held for me? The answer decides the risk and the protection.

When a Savings Account Still Makes Sense

A savings account suits balances under €100,000 per bank, cash needed on a set date within the term and companies that do not yet have an LEI. Offshore centres offer them too, as our guide to business savings accounts in Guernsey shows. Our guide to short-term investments for business cash compares the options in depth.

Sophic

Treasury management

Yield

2% to 3%+ p.a

Fees

0.3% a year + €10 per order

Eligibility

EU/EEA businesses with an LEI

View Instruments

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

How a Business Investment Account With Sophic Works

A business investment account with Sophic is opened online in the company's name. You choose the instruments and amounts. Sophic executes your orders and holds the investments. Onboarding takes about a day, money is invested 2 to 3 business days later and there is no lock-in period.

What You Can Hold

Money market funds in EUR, GBP and USD are currently from 2% p.a. before fees, with a variable return that can fall. Treasury bills from the EU, Germany, France, Cyprus, the UK and the US are currently from 2.5% p.a. before fees. Government bonds are currently from 3% p.a. before fees. Yields may vary. Sophic does not offer shares.

How Your Investments Are Held

With Sophic, client cash is held in segregated accounts at J.P. Morgan and investments are safeguarded by SIX Group. Bills and bonds are claims on the issuing government, so repayment depends on that government rather than on a single bank's balance sheet.

Which Companies Sophic Onboards

Sophic onboards businesses incorporated in Cyprus, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Companies also need an active LEI, proof of legal existence and a sector Sophic accepts. Holding companies may need additional checks before onboarding. If you are still forming the company, see holding company formation in Cyprus or our Ireland company formation guide.

Business Investment Account UK Options

Sophic does not onboard companies incorporated in the UK, so a UK company looking for a business investment account usually opens one with a firm authorised by the FCA. Eligible companies in the countries Sophic covers can still hold UK Treasury bills and sterling money market funds through a Sophic account.

UK Companies Use FCA-Authorised Firms

A corporate investment account in the UK is opened with a firm on the FCA's register, which runs the same kind of company, director and owner checks. Check the firm's legal name and permissions on the FCA register before applying. A UK company still needs a UK operating account first, as our guide to the UK business bank account explains.

Holding UK Treasury Bills and Sterling Funds

Eligible companies can hold UK Treasury bills and money market funds in GBP through Sophic, alongside euro and dollar holdings. For UK companies themselves, our guide on how to set up a UK holding company covers group structures.

Put Company Cash Into Funds, Bills and Bonds

For eligible companies with cash that has no job for months. You decide how to split cash between funds, bills and bonds. Sophic executes your orders and holds the investments.

Fund returns: Money market funds currently from 2% p.a. before fees, variable.
Bill returns: Treasury bills currently from 2.5% p.a. before fees.
Bond returns: Government bonds currently from 3% p.a. before fees.
Familiar issuers: Bills and bonds from the EU, Germany, France, Cyprus, the UK and the US.
Segregated client cash: Held in segregated accounts at J.P. Morgan.
Safeguarded investments: Safeguarded by SIX Group.

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

Corporate Investment Account Taxation

Corporate investment account taxation follows the company, not the account. Interest, fund income and gains on bills and bonds are normally taxed as part of the company's profits, under the rules of the country where it is resident. Rates for passive income can differ from trading rates, so check before you invest.

Investment Income Is Taxed in the Company

The company reports the income and gains in its own tax return. A director who invests company money does not pay personal tax on it, unless the money is later paid out as salary or dividends. Foreign government bonds can also carry withholding tax at source, which may be reclaimable under a tax treaty.

Passive Income Can Carry a Different Rate

In Ireland, non-trading income such as interest is taxed at 25%, against 12.5% for trading income. In the UK, the main corporation tax rate is 25% on profits above £250,000 and the small profits rate is 19% on profits of £50,000 or less. Take local tax advice. Our guides to tax planning for business owners and the lowest corporate tax in Europe cover the wider picture.

Keep Records for the Tax Return

Keep the firm's statements of every purchase, sale, coupon and fund distribution. Your accountant needs them to calculate gains and income at the year end. A personal investment company is a different structure with its own rules, so do not mix the two.

Sophic

Treasury management

Yield

2% to 3%+ p.a

Fees

0.3% a year + €10 per order

Eligibility

EU/EEA businesses with an LEI

View Instruments

When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

Costs of a Business Investment Account

A business investment account usually costs a yearly fee on the invested balance, a fee per order, the ongoing charges of any fund you hold and the dealer spread on bills and bonds. Add the yearly LEI renewal fee. The card on this page shows Sophic's fees. Ask any firm for every cost in writing before you open an account.

Fixed Fees Matter More on Small Amounts

A fixed fee per order weighs more on a small purchase than a large one. Fewer, larger orders spread the fixed fee further.

Compare the Total With What the Bank Pays

The cost only makes sense next to the alternative. In August 2026, euro area banks paid companies an average of 0.61% on overnight deposits and 2.24% on deposits fixed for up to a year. Our guide to business treasury management covers where the account fits.

Common Business Investment Account Mistakes

Most business investment account mistakes happen before the first order. Companies apply with old documents, let the LEI lapse, invest money they need soon or open an account that turns out to be a deposit with a new name. Each one costs time or return, and each one is easy to avoid.

Applying With Out-of-Date Documents

An old shareholder register or a missing beneficial owner is the most common reason onboarding stalls. Refresh every document before you apply, and check that names match across the registers, the articles and the ID copies. Use our LEI search guide to confirm your LEI record matches too.

Letting the LEI Lapse

A lapsed LEI can block new orders on bills and bonds. Renewal is yearly and easy to miss when nobody owns it. Put it in the finance calendar with a reminder a month ahead.

Investing Cash Needed Soon

A business investment account is for cash with no job for months. Putting next month's payroll into a 6-month bill forces a sale at the market price if cash runs short. Keep operating cash and a reserve in the bank first.

Not Asking Whether It Is a Deposit

"Investment account" means different things at different banks. If you do not ask whether the money is a deposit or securities, you may end up with less protection than you assumed, or more lock-in than you wanted. Get the answer in writing.

Bottom Line

A business investment account holds funds, bills and bonds in the company's name, outside the deposit guarantee but in segregated custody. Get your documents and LEI ready, check whether you are a retail or professional client and keep operating cash in the bank. Sophic onboards eligible companies in 15 countries, with no lock-in.

What is a business investment account?

A business investment account is an account with an authorised investment firm that holds securities in a company's name. Typical holdings for company cash are money market funds, Treasury bills and government bonds.

It is not a bank deposit. The value of the holdings can move, and they are not covered by the €100,000 deposit guarantee. Instead, MiFID II requires the firm to keep client assets apart from its own and protect the client's ownership rights.

The company places orders through the firm, usually online, and the directors named in the board resolution approve them. With Sophic, client cash is held in segregated accounts at J.P. Morgan and investments are safeguarded by SIX Group. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

What is a corporate investment account?

A corporate investment account is the same thing as a business investment account: an account in a company's name, held with an investment firm, for buying and holding securities. The word corporate is often used by larger companies and by banks' private and corporate divisions.

Opening one needs company documents, details of directors and beneficial owners, a board resolution naming who can place orders and, for bills and bonds, an active LEI.

Under MiFID II, most small and mid-sized companies are treated as retail clients, which gives them the fullest protection rules. Larger companies meeting two of the size tests, such as €40,000,000 of net turnover, are professional clients by default. The classification affects the information you receive and, at some firms, which products you can buy.

Can a limited company have an investment account?

Yes. A limited company can hold investments in its own name if its articles of association allow it, which most standard articles do. The directors decide how to invest the company's money and must act in the company's interest.

A limited company investment account is opened with a board resolution approving it and naming who can place orders. The firm will check the company's documents, directors and beneficial owners, and ask for an LEI before it can buy bills or bonds.

With Sophic, onboarding takes about a day and money is invested 2 to 3 business days later. Sophic onboards companies incorporated in 15 countries, listed in this article, and does not onboard UK-incorporated companies. We check eligibility before any paperwork, so you know early.

What is the difference between a business investment account and a savings account?

A savings account is a bank deposit. The bank owes you the balance plus interest, and the deposit guarantee covers €100,000 per depositor per bank. Rates are set by the bank, and fixed terms lock the money in.

A business investment account holds securities, such as money market funds, Treasury bills and government bonds. They pay a market rate and have no lock-in, but their value can move and they are not covered by the deposit guarantee.

Many companies use both. The savings account holds balances under the guarantee limit, and the investment account holds larger balances with no job for months. The split depends on your cash forecast and your limit per bank. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

What is a business investment savings account?

The name is used in two ways. Some banks use it for a notice or fixed deposit that pays a higher rate, which is still a bank deposit covered up to €100,000 per bank. Others use it for an account that holds funds or other securities, which is not covered.

Before opening one, ask whether the money is a deposit or securities held for you. That single answer tells you the protection, the risk and whether the money can be locked in.

If it is a deposit, compare the rate with what other banks pay. In August 2026, euro area banks paid companies an average of 2.24% on deposits fixed for up to a year, according to the ECB. Read the terms for notice periods and early withdrawal charges.

What can I hold in a company investment account?

It depends on the firm. Some offer shares, corporate bonds and many funds. Others focus on cash-like instruments for company treasury.

Sophic offers money market funds in EUR, GBP and USD, currently from 2% p.a. before fees, Treasury bills from the EU, Germany, France, Cyprus, the UK and the US, currently from 2.5% p.a. before fees, and government bonds, currently from 3% p.a. before fees. Sophic does not offer shares.

You choose the instruments and amounts, and Sophic executes your orders and holds the investments. Money market funds pay a variable return that can fall, and bills and bonds can be sold before maturity at the market price. Check each instrument's terms before you buy. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

What documents do I need to open a corporate investment account?

Expect the same set a bank asks for. That means the certificate of incorporation, articles of association, current registers of directors and shareholders, details and ID of beneficial owners holding 25% or more, and a board resolution approving the account and naming who can place orders.

You will also need an active LEI and a short explanation of where the cash comes from, such as trading profits or the sale of a subsidiary, sometimes with a recent bank statement.

Old or mismatched documents are the most common reason onboarding stalls. Refresh them before you apply and check that names match across every document. We prepare the file with you, so nothing is missing when you apply. Most companies already hold these documents from opening their bank account.

Do I need an LEI for a business investment account?

For Treasury bills and government bonds, yes. EU investment firms cannot execute these trades for a company without a Legal Entity Identifier, under Article 13(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/590.

Buying fund shares directly from a fund's administrator is not a reportable trade, so that rule does not apply to funds. Sophic still asks for an active LEI at onboarding.

An LEI is a 20-character code from an organisation accredited by GLEIF. It must be renewed every year, and a lapsed LEI can block new orders. Check its status before you apply, and put the renewal date in your finance calendar so it does not lapse while you hold bills or bonds. We check your LEI status before onboarding starts, and our guide on how to get an LEI number covers a new one.

Is a business investment account protected?

It is protected in a different way from a bank account. The deposit guarantee of €100,000 per bank covers deposits only, not funds, bills or bonds. A business investment account relies on segregation instead: MiFID II requires firms to keep client assets apart from their own and protect clients' ownership rights.

Segregation does not protect against changes in market value. Prices of bills and bonds move before maturity, and money market funds can fall. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

How is a corporate investment account taxed?

The account itself is not taxed. The company is. Interest, fund income and gains on bills and bonds are normally taxed as part of the company's profits, under the rules of the country where it is resident.

Rates for passive income can differ from trading rates. In Ireland, non-trading income such as interest is taxed at 25%, against 12.5% for trading income. In the UK, the main rate is 25% on profits above £250,000 and the small profits rate is 19% up to £50,000.

Foreign government bonds can carry withholding tax, which may be reclaimable under a treaty. Keep every statement for your accountant, and take local tax advice before you invest. This article is general information, not tax advice. Your accountant will need the firm's statements at the year end.

Can a UK company open a business investment account with Sophic?

No. Sophic onboards businesses incorporated in Cyprus, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland, so a company incorporated in the UK is not eligible.

A UK company looking for a corporate investment account usually opens one with a firm authorised by the FCA. Check the firm's legal name and permissions on the FCA register before you apply.

Eligible companies can hold UK Treasury bills and money market funds in GBP through Sophic, alongside euro and dollar holdings. You choose the instruments and amounts, and Sophic executes your orders and holds the investments. A UK company's account with a UK firm follows the UK's own rules and protections, so check those with the firm you choose.

What is a small business investment account?

A small business investment account is a business investment account opened by a smaller company, usually classed as a retail client under MiFID II. Retail clients get the fullest information and protection rules, which suits companies without a treasury team.

For a small business, the account usually holds cash with no job for months: tax set aside early, a reserve above what the bank holds or the proceeds of a funding round. Money market funds, Treasury bills and government bonds are the usual instruments.

The setup is the same as for a larger company: documents, owner checks and an LEI. With Sophic, there is no lock-in, and onboarding takes about a day. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.

How much does a business investment account cost?

Expect four costs: a yearly fee on the invested balance, a fee per order, the ongoing charges of any fund and the dealer spread on bills and bonds. Add the yearly LEI renewal fee and any currency conversion margin.

The card on this page shows Sophic's fees. There is no lock-in, and a sale is charged like any other order. Fixed order fees matter more on small amounts, so group small purchases into fewer orders where you can.

Compare the total with what the bank pays. In August 2026, euro area banks paid companies an average of 0.61% on overnight deposits and 2.24% on deposits fixed for up to a year. Ask for every cost in writing before you open an account, and review the total once a year.

Sources

Binderr is not an investment provider or adviser. We connect businesses with regulated investment providers and help with the setup. Every investment is made under the provider's own terms, fees and risk disclosures, which you review and accept directly with them, and the decision to invest is yours. Binderr is not responsible for investment performance or for any loss. This article is general information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and figures can change after the time of writing. When investing, your capital is at risk. Yields may vary.