The interest rate for a high-yield savings account at a traditional bank in the U.S. today is between 3.5-4%. GalaxyOne, the retail financial technology app launched by Galaxy Digital six mon
The interest rate for a high-yield savings account at a traditional bank in the U.S. today is between 3.5-4%.
GalaxyOne, the retail financial technology app launched by Galaxy Digital six months ago, is offering accredited investors 8% on their cash, paid out monthly through a investment note, that is not a bank product.
Zac Prince, managing director and head of GalaxyOne, joined TheStreet Roundtable to discuss the all-in-one platform and the various yield-generating opportunities offered, including Galaxy Premium Yield.
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GalaxyOne launched in late 2025 as Galaxy Digital's push into consumer finance, bringing the firm's institutional infrastructure to everyday investors through a single user experience.
The app currently offers a checking account with 3.50% annual percentage yield (APY) and FDIC insurance, a commission-free stock brokerage, crypto trading, Solanastaking, and Galaxy Premium Yield, which offers 8.00% on cash for accredited investors.
The draw is not any single feature. It is that checking, investing, crypto, and yield sit in one app. Prince walked us through how the premium yield product is structured and exactly where the returns come from.
GalaxyOne is positioning itself as a single financial app that covers checking, investing, and crypto in one place.
The checking account offers 3.50% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) with interest accruing daily and paid out monthly. The FDIC insurance on those deposits is provided by Cross River Bank, member FDIC, not by GalaxyOne. That rate is nearly 8x the national average savings rate.
The brokerage layer allows commission-free stock and ETF trading alongside crypto, meaning users can hold equities and digital assets in the same account.
The crypto side includes custody, trading, and, most recently, Solana staking, which offers up to 6.50% in staking rewards with 0% platform commission charged through 2026. That means when GalaxyOne users stake their SOL, they are staking on Galaxy's institutional validator, one of the largest operations on the Solana network.
"What we're doing with it is bringing the institutional quality that Galaxy Digital is known for to retail individual investors in a really easy to use app." said Zac Prince, Managing Director and Head of GalaxyOne.
The premium yield product is the most eye-catching feature in the app, but it comes with an important qualifier.
It is structured as a Regulation D 506(c) securities offering, which means it is only available to accredited investors, either individuals or entities. An accredited investor is generally someone with a net worth over $1 million excluding their primary residence, or an annual income above $200,000, according to the SEC.
This is the part compliance wants understood clearly: unlike the checking account, Galaxy Premium Yield is not a bank product. It is not FDIC or SIPC insured, the note is unsecured, and investors can lose some or all of their principal.
The yield itself is primarily sourced from Galaxy's institutional lending desk, which Prince described as one of the largest in crypto, with billions of dollars in principal outstanding.
Borrowers in this market are typically borrowing against Bitcoin and cannot access traditional bank financing, which is why the rates are higher than what retail bank products offer.
"That market does not have access to traditional financing from banks. And as a result, it's a more expensive market if you're someone that's borrowing against Bitcoin. That's why the yield is higher. You earn 8.00% on your cash. It's paid out monthly and you can choose to reinvest the interest that you're earning in anything on our platform, crypto, stocks, or just withdraw it." said Prince, Managing Director and Head of GalaxyOne.
The yield is real, and so is the structure behind it. The 8.00% product is backed by crypto lending, not a bank guarantee, and it requires accredited investor status for that reason.
For investors who qualify and understand the underlying exposure, Galaxy Premium Yield is straightforward access to a private market investment typically reserved for institutions and the ultra wealthy. For those who do not qualify, the 3.50% checking account and zero-commission staking on GalaxyOne are still materially better than most consumer alternatives.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment, financial, or tax advice, nor a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any product or security.
