Key Takeaways
- Though the Fed held interest rates steady again on Wednesday, two new CDs joined the top of our rankings this week.
- You now have ten choices for locking in the top nationwide rate of 4.50%, with terms ranging from 3 to 18 months.
- Or you can grab a 4.40% CD from PenAir Credit Union that guarantees its return for 21 months, locking your rate until early 2027.
- Want to secure your APY even longer? The top rates for 3-year through 5-year certificates range from 4.28% to 4.32%.
- While the Fed isn’t yet ready to restart rate cuts, reductions are ultimately expected in 2025. So locking in one of today’s top CD rates is likely smart in today’s uncertain economy.
Below you’ll find featured rates available from our partners, followed by details from our ranking of the best CDs available nationwide.
A 4.50% Rate You Can Enjoy Until Late 2026
Today’s highest CD rate in the country is 4.50%—and you have plenty of ways to lock that in. The shortest option with that return is a 3-month certificate available from PonceBankDirect. Then, eight institutions offer a 4.50% rate for terms of 6 to 13 months, including a 9-month certificate from OMB that debuted in our rankings yesterday and a 12-month option from Greenwood Credit Union that was unveiled Monday.
At the longest end, XCEL Federal Credit Union will guarantee its 4.50% APY for 18 months, which would secure your return until November 2026.
All Federally Insured Institutions Are Equally Protected
Your deposits at any FDIC bank or NCUA credit union are federally insured, meaning you’re protected by the U.S. government in the unlikely case that the institution fails. Not only that, but the coverage is identical—deposits are insured up to $250,000 per person and per institution—no matter the size of the bank or credit union.
Consider Multiyear CDs to Guarantee Your Rate Further Down the Road
For a rate lock you can enjoy for almost two years, PenAir Credit Union is paying 4.40% APY for 21 months, promising its rate until February 2027. Or, stretch your guarantee further by taking a slightly lower APY of 4.32%, available for 30 months from Genisys Credit Union.
Savers who want to stash their money away for even longer might like the leading 4-year or 5-year certificates. You can lock in a 4.28% rate for 4 years from Lafayette Federal Credit Union. In fact, Lafayette promises the same 4.28% APY on all its certificates from 7 months through 5 years, letting you secure that rate as far as 2030.
Multiyear CDs are likely smart right now, given the possibility of Fed rate cuts in 2025 and perhaps 2026. The central bank lowered the federal funds rate by a full percentage point in late 2024 and could resume rate cuts later this year. While any interest-rate reductions from the Fed will push bank APYs lower, a CD rate you secure now will be yours to enjoy until it matures.
Today’s Best CDs Still Pay Historically High Returns
It’s true that CD rates are no longer at their peak. But despite the pullback, the best CDs still offer a stellar return. October 2023 saw the highest CD rates push briefly to 6%, while today’s leading rate is down to 4.50%. But compare that to early 2022, before the Federal Reserve embarked on its fast-and-furious rate-hike campaign. The most you could earn from the very best CDs in the country ranged from just 0.50% to 1.70% APY, depending on the term.
Jumbo CDs Beat Regular CDs in 4 Terms
Jumbo CDs require much larger deposits and sometimes pay premium rates—but not always. In fact, the best jumbo CD rates right now are the same or lower than the top standard rates in four of the eight CD terms we track.
Among 1-year and 18-month CDs, the top standard and top jumbo CDs pay the same rate of 4.50% APY. Meanwhile, institutions are offering higher jumbo rates in the following terms:
- 6 months: Credit One Bank offers 4.55% for a 6–7 month jumbo CD vs. 4.50% for the highest standard rate.
- 3 years: Hughes Federal Credit Union offers 4.34% for a 3-year jumbo CD vs. 4.32% for the highest standard rate.
- 4 years: Lafayette Federal Credit Union offers 4.33% for a 4-year jumbo CD vs. 4.28% for the highest standard rate.
- 5 years: Both GTE Financial and Lafayette Federal Credit Union offer 4.33% for jumbo 5-year CDs vs. 4.28% for the highest standard rate.
That makes it smart to always check both types of offerings when CD shopping. If your best rate option is a standard CD, simply open it with a jumbo-sized deposit.
Where Are CD Rates Headed in 2025?
In December, the Federal Reserve announced a third rate cut to the federal funds rate in as many meetings, reducing it a full percentage point since September. But with its announcement this week, the central bank has opted to hold rates steady at all three of its 2025 meetings to date.
The Fed’s three rate cuts last year represented a pivot from the central bank’s historic 2022–2023 rate-hike campaign, in which the committee aggressively raised interest rates to combat decades-high inflation. At its 2023 peak, the federal funds rate climbed to its highest level since 2001—and remained there for nearly 14 months.
Fed rate moves are significant to savers, as reductions to the fed funds rate push down the rates banks and credit unions are willing to pay consumers for their deposits. Both CD rates and savings account rates reflect changes to the fed funds rate.
Time will tell what exactly will happen to the federal funds rate in 2025 and 2026—as tariff activity from the Trump administration has paused the Fed’s course as policymakers await clear data. But with more Fed rate cuts possibly arriving this year, today’s CD rates could be the best you’ll see in a while—making now a smart time to lock in the best rate that suits your personal timeline.
Daily Rankings of the Best CDs and Savings Accounts
We update these rankings every business day to give you the best deposit rates available:
Important
Note that the “top rates” quoted here are the highest nationally available rates Investopedia has identified in its daily rate research on hundreds of banks and credit unions. This is much different than the national average, which includes all banks offering a CD with that term, including many large banks that pay a pittance in interest. Thus, the national averages are always quite low, while the top rates you can unearth by shopping around are often 5, 10, or even 15 times higher.
How We Find the Best CD Rates
Every business day, Investopedia tracks the rate data of more than 200 banks and credit unions that offer CDs to customers nationwide and determines daily rankings of the top-paying certificates in every major term. To qualify for our lists, the institution must be federally insured (FDIC for banks, NCUA for credit unions), the CD’s minimum initial deposit must not exceed $25,000, and any specified maximum deposit cannot be under $5,000.
Banks must be available in at least 40 states. And while some credit unions require you to donate to a specific charity or association to become a member if you don’t meet other eligibility criteria (e.g., you don’t live in a certain area or work in a certain kind of job), we exclude credit unions whose donation requirement is $40 or more. For more about how we choose the best rates, read our full methodology.
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