Is Cash App Safe? Security Review
3/5
Overall Safety Score
★
★
★
★
★
Verdict: Cash App is convenient but carries meaningful security risks. Users should enable all available security features and avoid keeping large balances in the app.
Cash App is one of the most popular peer-to-peer payment apps in the US with over 50 million monthly active users. While it offers convenience for sending and receiving money, its security track record has raised concerns among privacy advocates.
Security Ratings Breakdown
| Category | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | 3/5 | |
| Privacy | 3/5 | |
| Track Record | 2/5 |
Security Features
- PIN and Touch ID/Face ID login
- Two-factor authentication via SMS or email
- PCI-DSS Level 1 compliance for card data
- Encryption of data in transit via TLS
- Security Lock feature to require passcode for every payment
- Instant card disable if lost or stolen
Privacy Concerns
- Collects extensive financial and personal data
- Shares data with third-party marketing partners
- Social features expose transaction activity by default (public transactions)
- Phone number or email required, linking real identity
- Cashtag and profile are publicly searchable
Past Security Incidents
- In April 2022, Block disclosed that a former employee accessed Cash App Investing reports containing customer names and brokerage account numbers affecting approximately 8.2 million users
- Persistent fraud issues with unauthorized account access reported widely since 2020
- FTC complaints about unauthorized charges and difficulty recovering stolen funds
How to Stay Safe Using Cash App
- Enable Security Lock to require PIN for every payment
- Turn on login notifications
- Make transactions private in settings
- Never send money to people you don't know
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Don't keep large balances in the app
Safer Alternatives
- Venmo (with private transactions enabled)
- Zelle (bank-integrated, no stored balance)
- Apple Pay (hardware-level security)
Last updated: February 10, 2026