NerdWallet, Inc. is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. Its articles, interactive tools and other content are provided to you for free, as self-help tools and for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide investment advice. NerdWallet does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information in regard to your individual circumstances. Examples are hypothetical, and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific investment issues. Our estimates are based on past market performance, and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners.
How to Buy Rivian Stock (RIVN)
Rivian is a new and exciting automotive company, but is it right for your portfolio?
Alana Benson is an editor who joined NerdWallet in 2019. Historically she has covered a wide variety of investing topics including stocks, socially responsible investing, cryptocurrency, mutual funds, HSAs and financial advice. She is also a frequent contributor to NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast. Alana has appeared on FOX Houston and the "PennyWise" podcast and has been quoted in MarketWatch and The Sun. Before joining NerdWallet, she wrote two books on identity theft and several young adult nonfiction titles. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Associated Press, MSN, Yahoo Finance and MarketWatch.
Pamela de la Fuente is a managing editor of NerdWallet's personal finance content. She leads budgeting, money-making, consumer credit and and debt coverage.
Ask her and her talented team about why credit scores matter, how to save money on your grocery bill, finding the right side hustle, how to protect your identity for free and more.
Previously, she led taxes and retirement coverage at NerdWallet.
Pamela joined NerdWallet after working at companies including Hallmark Cards, Sprint Corp. and The Kansas City Star. She has been a writer and editor for more than 20 years.
Pamela is a thought leader in content diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and finds ways to make every piece of content conversational and accessible to all.
She is a graduate of the Maynard Institute's Maynard 200 program, and the National Association of Black Journalists Executive Leadership Academy. She is a two-time winner of the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists' President's Award. She was also founding co-chair of NerdWallet's Nerds of Color employee resource group.
Updated
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Here's what to consider when thinking about buying Rivian stock and how to buy it.
How to buy Rivian stock
You can buy Rivian stock through a brokerage account. You'll need to add money to the account and then search for "RIVN" within the brokerage's platform. You can't buy Rivian stock directly from Rivian the company.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for online brokers and robo-advisors takes into account over 15 factors, including account fees and minimums, investment choices, customer support and mobile app capabilities.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for online brokers and robo-advisors takes into account over 15 factors, including account fees and minimums, investment choices, customer support and mobile app capabilities.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for online brokers and robo-advisors takes into account over 15 factors, including account fees and minimums, investment choices, customer support and mobile app capabilities.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for online brokers and robo-advisors takes into account over 15 factors, including account fees and minimums, investment choices, customer support and mobile app capabilities.
With many car companies making eco-friendly promises left and right, and without too many actual electric vehicles on the road, it can be hard to know where the EV industry is headed.
To sift through the noise, it's worth doing your research. Look at competitors, car reviews for the emerging EV models, and company health indicators, such as debt and revenue. This information can help you make sound decisions.
2. Consider Rivian in the context of your existing portfolio
Your investment portfolio encompasses all of your assets. Think about your 401(k) and any investment accounts, such as a traditional or Roth IRA. What investments do you already have, and how would Rivian fit into the mix?
If you have an IRA chock-full of technology stocks, adding Rivian may overbalance that sector. On the other hand, it might be something to consider if you have a well-diversified portfolio and want to put a small amount of money into Rivian after reviewing the company's financial information.
It's also important to consider whether you can afford to lose the money you'd be putting into Rivian. For example, it may not be worth the risk if you think you will need that money in less than five years.
Risk itself is another factor. Rivian is a newer company with an unproven track record. How confident are you that Rivian will survive the early stages and rise to the top? Any investment you put into a single stock should be made with the knowledge that it is possible to lose your entire investment if the company goes out of business. A good guideline is to have no more than 5% to 10% of your portfolio in individual stocks.
If you already have a brokerage account (think a traditional IRA, Roth IRA or standard brokerage account, but not a 401(k) or another employer-sponsored retirement account), you can skip ahead to No. 4.
If not, opening a brokerage account is easy. An investment or brokerage account is where you'll invest and hold your assets. The process takes about 15 minutes, and once your account is open and funded, you'll be ready to buy stocks, funds and other investments.
4. Decide how much to invest in Rivian
If you've decided Rivian stock is for you, your budget will partially determine how much you invest. Since the stock debuted, its price has ranged from $172 to $20. Say the stock is currently worth $30 and you have $100. You could buy a few shares for $30 each, but if the stock jumps to $150, you couldn't buy any.
If budget isn't a concern for you, you'll need to decide how much of your cash you're willing to invest.
You'll also need to determine what type of order you'd like to use: a "market" or a "limit" order. A market order is when you tell the brokerage to buy the stock as soon as possible. As a result, the final price you pay might be slightly different than the price you see when you place the order. A limit order is when you tell the broker that you only want to buy the stock at a specific price. If the stock isn't available at the price you specify, your order won't go through.