What Are Money Market Funds and Who Should Invest in Them?

Nick Investing events, reviews 0 Comments

According to various sources (here, for example) money market funds or MMFs are seeing a surge of interest from UK investors at the moment.

So today I thought I’d explain what MMFs are, their pros and cons, and who should (and perhaps shouldn’t) invest in them. I will also examine some likely reasons for the high level of interest in MMFs just now.

Let’s start with the most basic question, though…

What Are Money Market Funds?

A money market fund is a type of investment fund that invests in short-term, high-quality, liquid debt instruments — such as government treasury bills, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other instruments with very short maturities. In the UK context, many asset managers describe them as a “park your cash” vehicle: not quite a deposit account, but relatively low risk compared to equities or longer-dated bonds.

Because the underlying assets mature quickly (many in weeks or a few months) the fund manager can reasonably anticipate the yield and maintain high liquidity.

In simple terms, you could think of a money market fund as somewhere between “keeping money in a bank account” and “investing for growth in the stock market” — it aims for capital preservation + modest income, rather than big capital gains.

Pros of money market funds

If you’re considering an MMF, here are some of the advantages that frequently show up in analyses:

1. Lower risk (relatively)
   Because the underlying holdings are short-dated and usually high credit quality, money market funds tend to carry lower risk than many other types of investment funds. For example, compared to longer-term bond funds or equities, there’s far less exposure to interest-rate/inflation risk and less time for issuers to go horribly wrong.

2. High liquidity
   Many funds allow you to redeem on a daily dealing basis (or very frequently) so you can access your money relatively quickly. This makes them useful as a “waiting place” for money or for short-term needs.

3. Potentially higher return than pure cash savings
   Especially in a higher interest-rate environment, the yields on money market funds can exceed those of some bank savings accounts or easy-access deposits — for investors willing to accept the (small) additional risk.

4. Diversification of cash holdings
   If you keep large sums of cash at one bank, you may be exposed to that institution; a money market fund spreads the credit risk across many issuers.

5. Use within tax-efficient wrappers
   In the UK, you can hold money market funds inside a Stocks and Shares ISA or SIPP, which may be advantageous rather than leaving all your money in a conventional cash account.

Cons of money market funds

As always, “lower-risk” doesn’t mean “no risk”, and there are some important drawbacks to bear in mind…

1. Capital is not guaranteed
   Unlike deposit accounts covered by the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) (up to £85,000 per institution), investments in money market funds are subject to investment risk. You could get back less than you invested.

2. Return may not beat inflation
   Because the returns are modest (given the conservative nature of the underlying assets), there is a risk that inflation will erode the real value of your money over time. In other words: you may earn income, but your purchasing power may still decline.

3. Interest-rate/yield sensitivity
   The yield of a money market fund is influenced by short-term interest rates. If interest rates fall, the yield on the fund may drop. If the market is unsettled (or credit spreads widen) the value can move.

4. Liquidity risk in extreme scenarios
   While these funds are normally very liquid, in times of market stress there is still a risk of redemption delays, or assets becoming harder to value. Some regulators have highlighted this as a risk.

5. Limited capital growth potential
   These funds are designed for preservation and modest income, not high growth. If your goal is expanding your wealth significantly over many years, other assets (equities, long-term bonds, etc.) may suit you better.

Who Should Invest in MMFs?

Here are some scenarios where a money market fund may be a good fit:

• If you have short-term needs (e.g. you expect to spend the money within the next 1 to 3 years) and want to avoid exposing it to the ups and downs of equities.

• If you’re deciding what to do with funds (e.g. waiting for an investment opportunity) and need a place to park cash that offers a little bit more than a basic savings account, while keeping reasonable access.

• If you hold a large sum of cash in an ISA or pension wrapper and you want it to “work a little harder” than a pure deposit, but without taking large risks.

• If you have low risk-tolerance and want the bulk of your capital in safer, more liquid form — while still preserving flexibility.

Who Shouldn’t Invest In MMFs (or maybe think twice)?

On the flip side, money market funds may not be appropriate if:

• Your investment horizon is long-term (say 5-10+ years) and you’re seeking substantial growth. The conservative nature of money market funds means they are unlikely to match the returns of equity or balanced portfolios over the long term.

• You are relying on the investment to outpace inflation significantly. If inflation is high, the modest returns may mean your real-terms wealth declines.

• You need instant access or expect frequent withdrawals. While liquidity is good relative to many investments, it is not always instant and sometimes there may be daily dealing only. Check the individual fund terms.

• You misunderstand the risk: if you assume it’s the same as a deposit account (with full guarantee), you may be unpleasantly surprised. While risk is lower than many funds, it is not zero.

Examples of Popular UK MMFs

To illustrate what’s out there in the UK market, here are a few examples of well-known money market (or “cash/money-market”) funds. Note: this is for information only and not a product recommendation.

• Royal London Short Term Money Market Fund — This fund is often cited as a top choice in the UK short-term money market fund category, with a low ongoing charge and yield of ~4–5% in recent years.

• Vanguard Sterling Short‑Term Money Market Fund — Vanguard’s UK money market offering, described as “a low-risk place to park your money” by the provider.

• abrdn Sterling Money Market Fund — Another UK-available fund in the segment, targeting short-term money market instruments and relatively modest returns.

When choosing a fund, you’ll want to consider: the fund’s objective, charges (ongoing management charge/OCF), dealing terms (how quickly you can withdraw), liquidity provisions, and whether the yield is appropriate for the risk.

Why Is Interest in MMFs High Right Now?

There are various reasons for this. A major one is a degree of caution among investors at present. Equities and long-duration bonds have had episodes of volatility, inflation remains a concern, and with rising rates the risk of capital losses in interest-sensitive assets is higher. In that context, MMFs — with their short-duration holdings and relatively low volatility — look like a safer option to hold cash or near-cash assets.

Also, with central banks (including the Bank of England) keeping base rates elevated, the returns available from short-term debt and cash-like instruments have increased. For example, one provider (Fidelity) notes that MMFs “made a comeback in 2023 and have remained popular ever since — thanks largely to interest rates remaining higher for longer than expected.”

Because MMFs can be held inside ISAs or pensions, they benefit from the same tax-efficient wrappers as other investment funds. For investors who already use their ISA or SIPP allowance, being able to park cash inside that wrapper via an MMF may be an attractive alternative to leaving it outside the wrapper in a separate (perhaps taxed) savings account.

And finally, many investors have cash allocations in their portfolios (for future investment or awaiting opportunity) or hold money inside tax-efficient wrappers as mentioned above, but may not want to leave it entirely in a low-interest bank account. MMFs provide a way to hold cash within an investment platform, maintain liquidity, and potentially earn slightly more than a basic savings account. For example, AJ Bell notes that one of the appeals is that an investor can hold the MMF inside their S&S ISA or pension without transferring it out to a separate cash savings account.

• UPDATE: An additional attraction of MMFs has arisen due to the decision by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her November 2025 Budget to reduce the annual Cash ISA allowance to £12,000 (with an exception for over-65s). If you would previously have put the full £20,000 into a Cash ISA, you could now put all that money into an MMF within a Stocks and Shares ISA instead. Alternatively you could put the maximum £12,000 into a Cash ISA and the remaining £8,000 into a MMF within a S&S ISA.

Key Takeaways

• Money market funds can be a useful tool for parking money (relatively) safely, earning a bit more than a basic savings account, and maintaining liquidity.

• They are not risk-free: capital is at risk, and returns may not keep pace with inflation.

• They are most useful for short- to medium-term horizons, or as part of a diversified portfolio where some portion of assets is kept in safer, liquid form.

• If you’re investing for the long term with a view to growth, you’ll likely need to supplement (or allocate differently) rather than relying solely on MMFs.

• You can invest in MMFs directly or via a platform such as AJ Bell or Hargreaves Lansdown.

• You can invest within a tax-free wrapper such as a SIPP or S&S ISA, or in a general investment account without tax-free status if you’ve used up your annual £20,000 ISA allowance.

• Always read the fund’s Key Investor Information Document (KIID) or factsheet, check charges, underlying holdings and suitability for your goals and time horizon.

Comparison Chart: MMFs vs Bank Deposits vs Cash ISAs

*Yields/interest shown are approximate at the time of writing and subject to change.

As the chart shows, if you’re looking for a place to “park” money in the UK, you’re getting broadly similar yields whether you go for a bank savings account, a cash ISA or a money market fund. The differences come down to tax treatment, level of guarantee/risk, which wrapper you use, and ease of access.

For example, a cash ISA is tax-free, which can boost your effective return if you’re a higher rate taxpayer. A bank deposit may offer the FSCS safety net. A money market fund may allow you to invest via your ISA or pension wrapper and keep your cash within your investment portfolio structure, but you must accept that capital preservation isn’t guaranteed.

If you value the FSCS protection and are comfortable with a savings account structure, a bank deposit or savings account/cash ISA might be your preference. If you already have your deposit needs covered and you’re simply looking for a place inside your investment wrapper to hold cash-like assets, a money market fund may fit the bill.

It’s also important to ascertain whether the quoted rate is fixed or variable, check any withdrawal penalties, and consider whether the returns will keep pace with inflation.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below. Bear in mind that I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this article should be construed as personal financial advice. You should always do your own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.

My Investments Update – November 2025

Nick Investing events, reviews 0 Comments

Here is my latest monthly update about my investments. You can read my October 2025 Investments Update here if you like.

I’ll begin as usual with my Nutmeg Stocks and Shares ISA. This is the largest investment I hold other than my Bestinvest SIPP (personal pension).

As regular readers will know, in June this year I transferred most of the money in my Nutmeg Fully Managed portfolio (just under £25,000) to a new Nutmeg Income Portfolio. I discussed this in detail in this recent post, but basically money in this port is invested to generate an income from share dividends and other sources. This is then paid monthly. Capital appreciation is targeted as well, but these portfolios are aimed primarily at older people (and others) who want/need their investment to generate a regular cash income.

In October my Nutmeg income portfolio generated £64.60 of income, which was duly paid in to my bank account on 24 October 2025. That is down a bit on the £78.20 I received in September, but it means I have now received a total (tax-free) income of £276.83 to date. That’s a bit less than I would have hoped for based on Nutmeg’s projected annual return of just under 5% for income ports at my chosen risk level (five). It’s still too early to draw any significant conclusions from this, though.

My income portfolio grew in value again in October. It’s now worth £26,837 (rounded up) compared with £26,383 at the start of last month, a rise of £454. As the screen capture shows, the port has actually increased by £1,844.36 (7.55%) since I opened it in June this year. That’s clearly good going, though I don’t suppose it will carry on like this indefinitely!

I still have a smaller, growth-oriented pot using Nutmeg’s Smart Alpha option. This is now worth £4,694 (rounded up) compared with £4,524 a month ago, a rise of £170. Here is a screen capture showing performance for the year to date.

And at the start of December 2023 I invested £500 in one of Nutmeg’s thematic portfolios (Resource Transformation). In March 2024 I also invested a further £200 from referral bonuses (something I no longer receive for reasons I won’t bore you with). As you can see from the YTD screen capture below, this portfolio is now worth £932 compared with £900 last month, a rise of £32.

Finally, I still have a small amount left in my original Nutmeg Fully Managed portfolio. I have kept this largely for comparison purposes. This has increased in value from £617 at the start of October to £639 (rounded up) now, a rise of £22.

As you can see, October was another good month for my Nutmeg investments. Overall I was up by £678 or 2.46%. In addition I did, of course, receive £64.60 in income from my income portfolio.

Excluding income generated, the overall value of my Nutmeg investments is up by £2,673 since the start of 2025, so the April 2025 fall (caused largely by Trump’s tariffs) has now fully reversed. I am also up by £3,526 or 11.92% since the start of November last year, again excluding cash income received. All things considered, that’s not a bad result.

As I always have to say, some volatility is to be expected with stock market investments, but over the longer term they tend to even themselves out (and generally perform better than bank savings accounts, although that is never guaranteed). In general the worst thing you can do is panic and sell up when downturns occur (as happened in April this year). You are then crystallizing your losses rather than giving the markets time to recover. This is something I had cause to discuss in this blog post from earlier this year.

You can read my full Nutmeg review here. If you are looking for a home for your annual ISA allowance, based on my overall experience over the last nine years, they are certainly worth considering. They offer self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), Lifetime ISAs and Junior ISAs as well.

• Note that Nutmeg are rebranding as J.P. Morgan Personal Investing and their website will be at www.personalinvesting.jpmorgan.com from this week onward.

Moving on, I also have investments with P2P property investment platform Assetz Exchange. As discussed in this post, the company has rebranded as Housemartin.

My investments with Housemartin continue to generate steady returns. Housemartin focuses on lower-risk properties (e.g. sheltered housing). I put an initial £100 into this in mid-February 2021 and another £400 in April. In June 2021 I added another £500, bringing my total investment up to £1,000.

Since I opened my account, my HM portfolio has generated a respectable £279.58 in revenue from rental income. I have made a small net loss of £19.02 on property disposals. Capital growth generally has slowed, in line with UK property values generally.

At the time of writing, 14 of ‘my’ properties are showing gains, 4 are breaking even, and the remaining 22 are showing losses. My portfolio of 40 properties is currently showing a net decrease in value of £54.00. That means that overall (rental income minus capital value decrease and loss on disposal) I am up by £206.56. That’s still a respectable return on my £1,000 and does illustrate the value of P2P property investments for diversifying your portfolio. And it doesn’t hurt that with Housemartin most projects are socially beneficial as well.

The net fall in capital value of my Housemartin investments is obviously a little disappointing. But it’s important to remember that until/unless I choose to sell the investments in question, it is largely theoretical, based on the latest price at which shares in the property concerned have changed hands. The rental income, on the other hand, is real money (which in my case I’ve reinvested in other HM projects to further diversify my portfolio).

To control risk with all my property crowdfunding investments nowadays, I invest relatively modest amounts in individual projects. This is a particular attraction of Housemartin as far as i am concerned. You can actually invest from as little as £1 per property if you really want to proceed cautiously.

• As I noted in this blog post, Housemartin is particularly good if you want to compound your returns by reinvesting rental income. This effectively boosts the interest rate you are receiving. Personally, once I have accrued a minimum of £10 in rental payments, I usually reinvest this money in either a new HM project or one I have already invested in (thus increasing my holding). Over time, even if I don’t invest any more capital, this will ensure my investment with Housemartin grows at an accelerating rate and becomes more diversified as well.

My investment on Housemartin is in the form of an IFISA so there won’t be any tax to pay on profits, dividends or capital gains. I’ve been impressed by my experiences with Housemartin and the returns generated so far, and intend to continue investing with them. You can read my full review of Assetz Exchange/Housemartin here and my article about the rebranding to Housemartin here. You can also sign up for an account directly via this link [affiliate].

In 2022 I set up an account with investment and trading platform eToro, using their popular ‘copy trader’ facility. I chose to invest $500 (then about £412) copying an experienced eToro trader called Aukie2008 (real name Mike Moest).

In January 2023 I added to this with another $500 investment in one of their thematic portfolios, Oil Worldwide. I also invested a small amount I had left over in Tesla shares.

As you can see from the screen captures below, my original investment (total value £888.36 in pounds sterling) is today worth £1,170.40 an overall increase of £282.04 or 31.75%.

• Note: eToro now displays the value of investments in your native currency, although you can change this if you wish.

You can read my full review of eToro here. You may also like to check out my more in-depth look at eToro copy trading. I also discussed thematic investing with eToro using Smart Portfolios in this recent post. The latter also reveals why I took the somewhat contrarian step of choosing the oil industry for my first thematic investment with them.

As you can see, my Oil WorldWide investment is in profit, though at 9.26% it is nothing to write home about. My copy trading investment with Aukie2008 has been doing better, with an impressive overall profit of 61.88%. To be fair, I have held this investment a bit longer.

My Tesla shares, which I bought as an afterthought with some spare cash I had in my account, are up again this month. They are showing an overall profit of 310.84% since I bought them. If only I had put a bit more money into this!

You might also notice that I have small holdings in Prosus NV, a Dutch internet group, and South Bow, a Canadian energy infrastructure company. To be honest I don’t understand how I acquired these, but I assume they are some sort of bonus I was awarded. In any event, I am happy to have them in my portfolio.

• eToro also offer the free eToro Money app. This allows you to deposit money to your eToro account without paying any currency conversion fees, saving you up to £5 for every £1,000 you deposit. You can also use the app to withdraw funds from your eToro account instantly to your bank account. I tried this myself and was impressed with how quickly and seamlessly it worked. You can read my blog post about eToro Money here. Note that it can also serve as a cryptocurrency wallet, allowing you to send and receive crypto from any other wallet address in the world.

If you would like more information about setting up an eToro account, please click on this no-obligation website link [affiliate]. Don’t forget that you also get a free $100,000 virtual portfolio, which you can use to experiment with trading and investing strategies. I have certainly earned a lot from mine.

As an experiment, at the start of April this year I put £50 into an investment ISA with Trading 212. As mentioned in my recent blog post about dividend investing, I put it into the (Almost) Daily Dividends Portfolio, a ready-made portfolio or ‘pie’ on Trading 212. As you can see from the screen capture below, my portfolio is now worth £56.75, an increase of £6.75 or 13.5% over the seven-month period. It has even accrued a grand total of 59p in dividends!

I am quite impressed with how this investment has been faring, despite the small amount I put in (which means I may be missing out on some smaller dividends). If I increased my investment I would almost certainly become eligible for more dividends, and even more the longer I remain invested. If I had any spare money at the moment, I would consider doing this. Of course, I do now have an income-focused portfolio with Nutmeg as well (see above).

Moving on, I published various posts on Pounds and Sense in October. I have listed below those that are still relevant.

In Stay Healthy This Winter – The Best Supplements for Cold and Flu Season I set out some of the best supplements for staying healthy and boosting your resistance to winter viruses in the months ahead. Disclosure: I used the AI program ChatGPT to help research this!

In Annuity or Drawdown? Weighing Up Your Pension Income Options After 50 I discussed an issue relevant to many PAS readers (and me personally). If – like most of us nowadays – you have a defined-contribution (aka money-purchase) pension, what is the best way to convert this into an income when the time comes? In this article I set out the pros and cons of the two main methods.

How to Save Money on Your Heating Bills This Winter covers a topic many of us are worried about right now. With energy bills soaring, what methods are available to us to save money on our heating and energy bills? Following these tips could save you hundreds of pounds in the months and years ahead.

In Winter Fuel Payment 2025/26 – What Pensioners Need to Know I explained how the rules regarding Winter Fuel Payment have changed this year. The good news is that WFP has been reinstated for most pensioners in 2025/26, but with one major caveat. Read the article for a full explanation of how things now stand and what – if anything – you need to do.

Finally, in How to Prepare for Winter Blackouts I revealed why power cuts are becoming increasingly probable in the UK and what steps you can take to prepare for them. While the prospect of winter blackouts may be daunting, thorough preparation should alleviate many of the challenges. By taking steps now, you can ensure the safety and comfort of your household, no matter what the winter months bring.

I’ll close with a reminder that you can also follow Pounds and Sense on Facebook or Twitter (or X as we have to call it now). Twitter/X is my number one social media platform and I post regularly there. I share the latest news and information on financial matters, and other things that interest, amuse or concern me. So if you aren’t following my PAS account on Twitter/X, you are definitely missing out!

• I am also on the BlueSky social media network under the username poundsandsense.bsky.social. Twitter/X remains my primary social media platform, but I also post details of my latest blog posts, third-party articles and other financial news and resources on BlueSky for those who prefer to follow me there.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below. I am always delighted to hear from PAS readers 

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss. 

Note also that posts on PAS may include affiliate links. If you click through and perform a qualifying transaction, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect the product or service you receive or the terms you are offered, but it does help support me in publishing PAS and paying my bills. Thank you!