Aven just rolled out one of the richest cash-back promotions we've seen from a fintech card issuer this year, and it's worth a look if you've got some cash sitting around. The catch: you'll need to park $25,000 to unlock it.

The Offer

Pair the Aven Rewards Visa Card with an Aven checking account and you can earn 5% back on up to $25,000 in purchases per year. That's a potential $1,250 in cash back, paid out as points worth a penny each and redeemable as statement credits.

Here's what it takes to get there. You'll need to open the checking account and deposit at least $25,000 within the first 25 days. From there, you have to maintain a $25,000 daily balance to keep earning the full 5% rate. Miss a day below that threshold, and your rate drops to 3% back on the first $10,000 in purchases. Once you clear the $25,000 spending cap, you fall to 2% back with no ceiling. AutoPay is also mandatory. Skip it, and you earn nothing. If you want the full mechanics before applying, our beginner's guide to cash-back cards breaks down how issuers structure tiered rewards like this one.

The Hidden Upside (and the Catch)

Aven's checking account also carries a 3.25% APY, so in theory you could earn interest on that same $25,000 while it backs your 5% cash back. That's a potentially strong one-two punch, but Aven hasn't clarified whether the checking balance you use to qualify for the promotion can be the same money earning that yield. Until that's confirmed, don't count on stacking both benefits. And remember, interest income is taxable, so factor that into your math before getting too excited about the APY angle.

Is It Worth It?

If you've already got $25,000 sitting in a low-yield savings or checking account and you can comfortably run $25,000 a year through a credit card, this is a genuinely strong offer. Compare it to a flat 2% card like the Citi Double Cash Card: the difference works out to $750 a year, which isn't nothing. But if tying up $25,000 for a full year doesn't work for your cash flow, the math gets a lot less compelling fast, especially with unclear rules and a promotion Aven can end at any time.

For cash back without the balance requirements, check out our guide to the best cash-back credit cards for straightforward alternatives.

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