Brand names for finance & money
Money customers check who they're dealing with, so claim one name on the .com, LinkedIn and both app stores. Some finance words need permission before they go in a name.
Which platforms should a finance brand claim?
The .com, LinkedIn, X and both app stores, plus a trademark check.
| Platform | Why claim it | Cost to join | Sign-up takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com | The address customers trust and type | $11.08 a year | 5 to 15 min |
| Business customers, partners and hiring | Free | 10 to 20 min | |
| X | Market news and launches | Free | 5 to 15 min |
| App Store | An iPhone money app | $99 a year | 1 to 21 days |
| Google Play | An Android money app | $25 once | 2 to 28 days |
| Trademarks | Protects the name on all of them | From $350 a class (US) | 1 to 2 hours to file |
Start the app stores early. A company needs a D-U-N-S number for Apple, and new personal Google Play accounts must run a 14-day closed test with 12 testers. See the launch checklist.[1]
Checks the .com, LinkedIn, X, App Store, Google Play and Trademarks in one search.
Which domain endings suit finance?
Get the .com if you can. Finance endings start at $5.66 to $15.96, then renew at $31.41 to $92.17 a year.
| Ending | First year | Each year after |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $11.08 | $11.08 |
| .finance | $6.69 | $58.19 |
| .money | $10.81 | $31.41 |
| .capital | $5.66 | $63.34 |
| .fund | $8.75 | $63.34 |
| .cash | $9.78 | $34.50 |
| .credit | $6.69 | $92.17 |
| .financial | $15.96 | $52.01 |
These are Porkbun's prices; other registrars differ. More in Which domain ending should I pick?[9]
Which trademark classes cover a finance brand?
Class 36 covers banking, insurance, lending, investment and payments. Add class 9 for a downloadable app and class 42 for a web platform.
| Class | WIPO covers | For a finance brand |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Financial, monetary and banking services; insurance | Banking, loans, payments, crypto exchange |
| 9 | Downloadable software, e-wallets | A money app or e-wallet |
| 42 | Software as a service, software design | A web platform people log in to |
| 35 | Book-keeping, accounting, tax preparation | Accounting and tax services |
Each extra class adds $350 in the US, €50 to €150 in the EU and £60 in the UK. Read Do I need a trademark before I launch? before you file.[2, 6, 7, 8]
Which words, like "bank", need permission in a finance name?
In the UK, "bank", "insurance" and "fund" need a letter of non-objection from the Financial Conduct Authority. In the US, federal law limits "national", "Federal" and similar words in finance business names.
| Word | Where | What's needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bank, banking | UK | FCA letter of non-objection |
| Insurance, insurer, assurance, fund | UK | FCA letter of non-objection |
| Building society, credit union | UK | Protected by law; misuse can be a crime |
| National, Federal, United States, reserve, Deposit Insurance | US | Only as US law permits, for banking, lending, brokerage, insurance, savings or trust firms |
Breaking the US rule can mean a fine, and up to a year in prison for individuals. These are UK and US federal rules; other countries set their own.[3, 4, 5]
Sources (9)
- PrimaryZero To 1000's platform catalog: costs and sign-up times from each platform's own pages; domain prices from Porkbun's price list
- PrimaryWIPO: Nice Classification, NCL 13-2026, classes 9, 35, 36 and 42
- PrimaryGOV.UK: Incorporation and names, Annex A: sensitive words and expressions
- PrimaryGOV.UK: Incorporation and names, Annex C: words protected under other legislation
- Primarygovinfo: 18 U.S.C. § 709, United States Code (2023 edition)
- PrimaryUSPTO: How much does it cost?
- PrimaryEUIPO: Fees and payments
- PrimaryGOV.UK: Apply to register a trade mark
- PrimaryPorkbun: domain name pricing, the public price list our checker reads daily