The Best Brokerage Money Market Rates in Nov $\text{2025}$
As short-term interest rates remain elevated in late $\text{2025}$, parking uninvested cash in a high-yield vehicle is critical for maximizing returns. Money Market Funds ($\text{MMFs}$) offered by major brokerages are a low-risk, highly liquid alternative to traditional bank accounts.
We’ve analyzed the $\text{7}$-Day $\text{SEC}$ Yields—the standardized measure of an $\text{MMF}$'s income performance—from the top three brokerages to determine where your cash is best held this month. All yields are approximate as of November $\text{14}, \text{2025}$, and may change daily.
The Big Three: $\text{7}$-Day $\text{SEC}$ Yield Comparison
While the standard brokerage "sweep" fund often defaults to a low yield, actively moving your cash into a better-performing $\text{MMF}$ can significantly increase your return.
| Brokerage | Money Market Fund | Ticker | Approx. $\text{7}$-Day $\text{SEC}$ Yield ($\text{Nov 2025}$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Vanguard** | Treasury Money Market Fund | $\text{VUSXX}$ | $\mathbf{3.92\%}$ |
| **Vanguard** | Federal Money Market Fund | $\text{VMFXX}$ | $\mathbf{3.89\%}$ |
| **Fidelity** | Government Money Market Fund ($\text{Sweep}$) | $\text{SPAXX}$ | $\mathbf{3.77\%}$ ($\text{Oct 31}$ data) |
| **Fidelity** | Prime Money Market Fund | $\text{SPRXX}$ | $\mathbf{3.82\%}$ ($\text{Oct 31}$ data) |
| **Schwab** | Prime Advantage Money Fund | $\text{SWVXX}$ | $\mathbf{3.79\%}$ |
| **Schwab** | Government Money Fund | $\text{SNVXX}$ | $\mathbf{3.68\%}$ |
Top Performing MMF this Month:
Vanguard Treasury MMF ($\text{VUSXX}$) at $\mathbf{3.92\%}$(Yields change daily; always check your broker's site for the most current rate.)
Why Vanguard Leads in $\text{November 2025}$
Vanguard frequently offers some of the highest yields due to its low expense ratios. As demonstrated by the data, their $\text{VUSXX}$ and $\text{VMFXX}$ funds currently edge out the primary offerings from Fidelity and Schwab.
- **$\text{VUSXX}$ (Treasury):** Invests solely in short-term $\text{U.S.}$ Treasury securities. This fund is often considered the safest taxable option due to its backing by the full faith and credit of the $\text{U.S.}$ government.
- **$\text{VMFXX}$ (Federal):** Invests in government securities and repurchase agreements backed by government securities. It functions as the default settlement fund for many Vanguard brokerage accounts ($\mathbf{\$0}$ minimum if used as the settlement fund).
The Hidden Cost: Expense Ratios
When comparing yields, always look at the fund's **expense ratio**. The published $\text{SEC}$ yield is **net of fees**, meaning the fund manager has already deducted their costs. Funds with lower expense ratios are often able to pass on a higher yield to the investor.
Strategy: Don't Settle for the Sweep Fund
Many investors mistakenly leave their idle cash in the default "sweep" fund, which often pays a low rate, especially at traditional banks. This is a costly mistake.
- **Check Your Default:** Find out if your brokerage's default sweep is a bank deposit account (often lower $\text{APY}$) or a money market fund (generally higher $\text{SEC}$ yield).
- **Transfer the Cash:** If your sweep fund is low-yielding ($\text{Fidelity}$'s $\text{SPAXX}$ or $\text{Schwab}$'s $\text{SNVXX}$ may not always be the highest option), you must manually sell the sweep fund and **buy** the higher-yielding $\text{MMF}$ ($\text{VUSXX}$ or $\text{SWVXX}$) to maximize your return.
In a high-rate environment, every fraction of a percentage point matters. A $\text{0.25\%}$ yield difference on $\mathbf{\$50,000}$ over a year is $\mathbf{\$125}$ in lost passive income—money you can easily capture by actively managing your cash allocation.
Download our free $\text{2025}$ Low-Risk Passive Income Guide, featuring top $\text{CD}$ and $\text{MMF}$ alternatives.
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