Is my money SIPC-protected when I use Autopilot? Where custody actually sits

I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. The direct answer is that Autopilot isn't SIPC-covered, and it doesn't need to be.

That sounds bad until you understand why. Let me explain, because the reason is the whole design.

One thing first, because we're an SEC-registered investment adviser and I have to say it. Autopilot is the app. The actual investment advice comes from Autopilot Advisers, LLC. If you want the full legal version of anything in here, it's on our disclaimer page.

1) Who holds your money

Not us. Autopilot doesn't hold client money or securities. Your cash and your stocks stay in the brokerage account you already have, at your brokerage.

For those unaware, the firm that holds your assets is called the custodian. When you use Autopilot, your brokerage is the custodian. Autopilot Advisers, LLC is a registered investment adviser with limited authority to send orders to that account. It can't withdraw money, and it never has your assets.

2) What SIPC actually covers

SIPC, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, protects customers of member brokerage firms if the firm fails and customer assets go missing.

Per SIPC, the limit is $500,000 per customer, which includes a $250,000 limit for cash. It covers missing cash and securities. It doesn't cover your investments going down in value. No insurance does that.

Because SIPC protects customers of brokerage firms, and your assets sit at your brokerage, the SIPC coverage that applies to you is your brokerage's.

3) How to check your own coverage

Look up whether your brokerage is a SIPC member. SIPC keeps a member list on its own website, and brokerages usually disclose it at the bottom of their site and on your statements.

Your brokerage's statements are also the easiest way to confirm where your money is. They come from your broker, not from us, and they show everything in the account.

4) What this means in practice

If something happened to Autopilot tomorrow, your account would still be at your brokerage, holding exactly what it held. You'd log into your broker and it would all be there.

That's the point of the design. The app that decides what to buy and the firm that holds the money are different companies. The full explanation of the arrangement is in Where your money actually is when you use Autopilot, and what the connection can and can't do is in What Autopilot can see in your brokerage account, and what it can't.

5) What I'd still check

I want to be honest with you. Custody protects you from a firm failing. It doesn't protect you from a Portfolio losing money. Those are separate risks, and people mix them up constantly.

Check your brokerage's SIPC membership. Then check the Portfolio's worst stretch. One tells you whether your money is where it should be. The other tells you what could happen to it while it's there.

TLDR: Autopilot doesn't hold your money, so SIPC doesn't apply to Autopilot. Your assets stay at your brokerage, and your brokerage's SIPC membership is what protects you if it fails, up to $500,000 including $250,000 in cash, per SIPC. SIPC never covers market losses.

Frequently asked questions

Is Autopilot SIPC insured?

Autopilot isn't a brokerage and doesn't hold client assets, so SIPC doesn't apply to it. Your cash and securities stay at your own brokerage, and that brokerage's SIPC membership is what covers you if the brokerage fails.

Is my money protected if I use Autopilot?

Your money stays at your brokerage the whole time. If your brokerage is a SIPC member, SIPC protects up to $500,000 per customer, including $250,000 in cash, if the firm fails. No coverage protects against investments losing value.

Who holds my money when I use Autopilot?

Your brokerage does. Autopilot Advisers has limited authority to send orders to your account but can't withdraw money and never holds your assets. Your brokerage statements show everything in the account.

Start Investing

Since Autopilot Advisers is an SEC-registered investment adviser, we have to put disclaimers on stuff like this. They're below, and the full version is on our disclaimer page.

Disclosures

© Autopilot Holdings Corporation 2026 — All rights reserved. “Autopilot” refers to Autopilot Holdings Corporation and its wholly-owned, and separately managed subsidiaries, including Autopilot Advisers, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. All investing is subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested, and past performance is not indicative of future results. View our Customer Relationship Summary and other important information at joinautopilot.com/disclaimer.

This information is provided by Autopilot for educational and illustrative purposes only and is not a recommendation, an offer to sell or the solicitation to buy any security. Autopilot relies on information from various sources believed to be reliable, including information from Clients, Pilots and other third parties, but cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of that information. Autopilot does not provide tax or legal advice and you are encouraged to consult with professionals before making investment decisions.

Autopilot is not affiliated with, sponsored, or endorsed by the companies listed, described, or featured on its site. Company logos or trademarks used do not imply endorsement and are the property of their respective owners.

Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. You should carefully consider your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon before investing through Autopilot.

Autopilot Advisers, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Additional information about Autopilot is available in our Form ADV Part 2A, available at adviserinfo.sec.gov or joinautopilot.com/adv.

Autopilot provides limited investment advisory services focused on Portfolio selection and suitability assessment. Our services are not intended to replace comprehensive financial planning. We recommend consulting with a qualified financial advisor regarding your complete financial situation.

This content is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice and should not be relied upon as the basis for any investment decision. You should consult with qualified professionals regarding your specific circumstances.

Autopilot does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult with qualified tax and legal professionals regarding your specific circumstances.

Autopilot does not hold client assets. All investments are held at the brokerage firm you select and connect to Autopilot. Your brokerage firm is responsible for trade execution, custody, and reporting. Autopilot is not responsible for your broker-dealer’s services, fees, or execution quality.

Autopilot’s services depend on technology systems, third-party APIs, and internet connectivity. System outages, API disruptions, or connectivity issues may temporarily affect service availability or trade execution timing.

Client account holdings are designed to track the Portfolio you’ve selected, but your actual holdings and performance may differ from the Portfolio due to execution timing, market conditions, brokerage capacity constraints, fractional share availability, and other factors outside Autopilot’s control.

For Portfolios inspired by publicly disclosed trading activity, there may be a delay between when a Pilot executes a trade and when that trade becomes publicly available and is incorporated into the Portfolio. This timing delay may affect the suitability or performance of trades when executed in client accounts.

Autopilot does not hold client assets. SIPC coverage is provided through your brokerage if it is a SIPC member, subject to SIPC's limits and rules, and does not protect against declines in the value of investments. SIPC coverage figures are as published by SIPC and may change. Autopilot does not provide legal advice.