Each Pie AutoInvest you create needs a payment method — the source we draw the money from on each cycle. This article explains the options, how to switch between them, and what happens if a payment does not go through.
📝 Note
Account cash is available as a Pie AutoInvest payment method for all customers. The optional "Use my free cash first" setting described below is currently available only to clients of Trading 212 UK Ltd., on selected UK payment methods.
What payment methods can I use for Pie AutoInvest?
When you set up or edit a Pie AutoInvest, you can choose one of the following as the payment method:
- Account cash — the free cash already in your Trading 212 account. No external deposit is needed on each cycle.
- An external payment method — for example, a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or Open Banking. The exact list depends on your country and account type.
You can change the method at any time by opening the Pie AutoInvest and editing it.
What is the "Use my free cash first" setting?
When you set up a Pie AutoInvest with an eligible external payment method, you can turn on the “Use my free cash first” setting. On each cycle, we will then:
- Check whether your Account cash can cover the full investment amount.
- If it can, we use Account cash for the full amount. If it cannot, the full amount is charged to the external method instead — your Account cash is not used for that cycle.
This lets your AutoInvest keep running even if your Account cash is short — the external method acts as a backup. The setting is turned off by default. You can turn it on when you set up the Pie AutoInvest or at any time by editing it.
📝 Note
Use my free cash first is currently offered only to clients of Trading 212 UK Ltd., on UK cards, Apple Pay / Google Pay, and Open Banking. It is not available for SEPA Direct Debit or when the selected payment method is Account cash itself.
What happens if my Account cash is not enough?
It depends on how your Pie AutoInvest is set up:
- Account cash only: the cycle fails for that period and we send you a notification. The Pie AutoInvest stays active — the next scheduled cycle will run as normal.
- External method with “Use my free cash first” turned on: if your Account cash can cover the full amount, it is used; otherwise, the full amount is charged to the external method instead. The cycle still runs even if your Account cash is zero.
- External method with Use my free cash first turned off: the full amount is drawn from the external method; your Account cash is not used.
Can I switch between Account cash and an external method later?
Yes. You can switch between Account cash and an external method at any time, in either direction, by editing the Pie AutoInvest. If you move from an external method to Account cash, the Use my free cash first setting is turned off for that plan.
Where can I see my Pie AutoInvest's current payment method?
Open the Pie, go to AutoInvest, and tap the Payment method row. You will see which method is currently in use. If the plan uses “Use my free cash” first, you will also see a line confirming it is turned on.
❗️ Important
If a payment to an external method fails for a reason other than insufficient cash (for example, a card decline or a bank timeout), the cycle fails and we notify you. The Pie AutoInvest stays active — we do not automatically retry the same cycle, and the next cycle will run as scheduled.