Claude can now read two years of bank transactions

Anthropic began rolling out a new Personal Finance feature for its Claude chatbot this week. The beta launch is currently restricted to users in the United States who subscribe to the Pro, Max, or Ultra plans.

The tool uses Plaid to link Claude directly to a user's bank and card accounts. Once connected, the AI can process natural language queries regarding personal finances. Users can ask where their money went in a specific month or how much they have left to spend before their next payday.

When a user submits a question, Claude generates a detailed breakdown of spending. The system categorizes expenses into essentials like rent and utilities, as well as discretionary items such as shopping and food. It can also estimate potential monthly savings or determine affordability for large purchases like holiday trips.

The integration is strictly read-only. Claude can view data but cannot alter it. Because the connection runs through Plaid, the AI does not require access to banking passwords. This architecture prevents banks from having to manage direct connections with unvetted AI bots.

Despite its capabilities, the tool has defined limits. Anthropic states that Claude cannot move, manage, or invest a user's money. The company explicitly noted that the feature is not designed to provide investment advice.

To perform its analysis, Claude gains visibility into specific account details. This includes the bank name, account names and types, the last four digits of account numbers, current balances, credit limits, and up to two years of transaction history.

The company positioned this release as an initial phase in a larger strategy. Anthropic suggests that users should work with licensed professionals and regulated firms for significant financial decisions. The company is currently exploring how to facilitate this collaboration within the platform.

This launch follows a similar move by OpenAI, which introduced a comparable feature for ChatGPT in May. That tool also utilizes Plaid to connect with user bank accounts. Anthropic has invited input from banks, wealth managers, and other financial services companies to help shape future developments.