The partnership pairs Tellus's consumer technology with a certified Community Development Financial Institution that has spent decades quietly proving a bank can be both prudent and purposeful. Deposits are held at Central Bank of Kansas City, Member FDIC.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tellus App, Inc. ("Tellus"), a real estate and financial technology company, and Central Bank of Kansas City ("CBKC"), a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Member FDIC, today announced their expanded partnership bringing an FDIC-insured Deposit Account, provided by CBKC, to eligible customers through the Tellus app. With the rate raised and the balance limit lifted to $100,000, deposits held at CBKC through the Tellus app now earn 4.50% APY.
Accounts are opened and managed in the Tellus app; customer funds are deposited at Central Bank of Kansas City, where they are eligible for FDIC insurance up to applicable limits. Tellus is not a bank and is not FDIC-insured. The Deposit Account and FDIC insurance are provided through CBKC, Member FDIC.
Key facts:
"Central Bank of Kansas City is a certified CDFI that has spent decades putting capital to work in housing, real estate, and the neighborhoods it serves. That is the same ground Tellus was built on," said Jeromee (JJ) Johnson, President of Tellus. "Spend an afternoon with their team and you come away a little in awe: they do the exacting work of running a sound, closely regulated bank and the harder, kinder work of lending where it's needed most, and they refuse to let either one excuse them from the other."
"Pairing their banking foundation with our technology gives customers a straightforward way to earn a competitive rate on FDIC-insured deposits held at CBKC. We have no intention of letting the Deposit Account be the last thing we do together, and we're thrilled at the prospect of standing alongside them on some of the remarkable community work they do."
Central Bank of Kansas City has held CDFI certification since 1998. As a certified CDFI, it operates under the same safety-and-soundness standards as any FDIC-insured bank while directing the majority of its lending to low- and moderate-income and underserved communities, with a long-standing focus on housing, construction and renovation.
That focus sits naturally beside Tellus's own real estate roots. Tellus itself is powered by real estate: it builds property management software used by independent landlords and offers consumer cash accounts, which are not deposits and are not FDIC-insured, designed to enhance and reward saving choices and behaviors in the app.
"Tellus brings the kind of design and energy that makes people actually enjoy managing their money. Modern, mobile-first, and genuinely engaging," said Alex Miller, Chief Banking and Innovation Officer at Central Bank of Kansas City. "For CBKC, this partnership carries our community development mission beyond our branches: more households earning a strong, transparent rate on deposits insured through a bank that has served Kansas City for generations. It's fintech done with substance."
The FDIC-insured Deposit Account is available now to eligible U.S. customers in the Tellus app.
The Tellus Deposit Account is established by Central Bank of Kansas City, Member FDIC. Certain terms, and conditions are associated with the approval, maintenance, and use of the Deposit Account. If you have any questions regarding your Deposit Account, you should consult your Deposit Account Agreement or contact us at 1-650-590-9770.
About Tellus
Tellus App, Inc. is a real estate and financial technology company headquartered in Silicon Valley, offering consumer cash accounts powered by real estate, property management software for independent landlords, and business-purpose residential lending.
Tellus is not a bank. Tellus is not FDIC-insured. The FDIC-insured Deposit Account is provided by Central Bank of Kansas City, Member FDIC. Eligible deposits held at Central Bank of Kansas City are insured by the FDIC up to applicable limits in the event of the bank's failure. FDIC insurance does not apply to Tellus itself or to non-deposit products or services.
User rewards on Tellus's non-deposit accounts vary and are determined by your actions and choices in-app.
See www.TellusApp.com for full terms and conditions.
About Central Bank of Kansas City
Central Bank of Kansas City (CBKC) is a $410 million-asset community bank committed to driving economic opportunity and revitalization in underserved communities. Certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) since 1998, CBKC focuses on strengthening neighborhoods through strategic investments in commercial development, job creation, and essential community services. From advancing affordable housing to expanding access to healthy food, our work reflects a deep commitment to building resilient, thriving communities. CBKC is FDIC insured, an Equal Housing Lender, and an equal opportunity provider.
SOURCE Tellus
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