Key Takeaways
- The nation-leading 5.00% CD held again today. That 18-month offer, which comes from Mountain America Credit Union, lets you lock in this rate until mid-September of next year.
- An additional 8 offers guarantee 4.60% for terms ranging from 3 to 18 months.
- Skyla Credit Union offers the top 2-year rate of 4.50%, while Credit Human’s 3-year offer locks in 4.40% until 2028.
- Want a longer rate lock? Consider a 4.40% rate from Vibrant Credit Union for 4 years or Transportation Federal Credit Union for 5 years.
- The Fed will almost certainly hold interest rates steady when it announces its decision Wednesday. But since 2025 rate cuts are predicted, it’s smart to snag one of today’s best CD rates while you still can.
Below you’ll find featured rates available from our partners, followed by details from our ranking of the best CDs available nationwide.
Rates of 4.50% to 5.00% You Can Guarantee as Long as September 2026
Your ability to lock in a 5.00% APY continues with Mountain America Credit Union’s 18-month certificate promising that return. Opening this CD now would lock in your rate until almost fall 2026.
The runner-up rate is 4.65% APY, available from four competing offers that extend their rate promise into later 2025. Two banks and two nationally available credit unions are paying that rate on terms of 5 to 7 months.
In the longer 1-year term, Abound Credit Union recently unveiled a 4.60% return with a 10-month rate guarantee. Or you can secure that same APY for 13 months with Vibrant Credit Union. Both of these will guarantee your rate into 2026.
Extending further into next year is Skyla Credit Union’s 21-month offer of 4.50%, which will lock in your return until almost Christmas 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 Lock Your Rate Further Into the Future
For a CD that will guarantee your return until at least 2027, Credit Human offers multiple leading options that fit the bill. You can lock in a guaranteed rate of 4.45% for a take-your-pick term of 18-23 months (you’ll need to choose a term of at least 22 months to stretch into the 2027 calendar), or you can opt for 4.40% on a term of your choosing between 24 and 35 months.
Anyone wanting an even longer rate lock got some good news earlier this month, with the leading 4-year CD rate getting a boost from 4.35% to 4.40%. That new higher rate is available from Vibrant Credit Union. Meanwhile, Transportation Federal Credit Union is also offering 4.40% APY, but on a slightly longer 5-year certificate—ensuring you’ll earn well above 4% all the way until 2030.
Long-term CDs are likely smart right now, given the possibility of Fed rate cuts in 2025 and 2026. The central bank has so far lowered the federal funds rate by a full percentage point, and this year could see additional cuts. 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 best CD rates push above 6%, while the leading rate is currently down to 5%. 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 then ranged from just 0.50% to 1.70% APY, depending on the term.
Jumbo CDs Lose Against Regular CDs in Every Term
Jumbo CDs require much larger deposits and sometimes pay premium rates—but not always. In fact, the best jumbo CD rates right now are worse than the best standard CD rates in every term we track. That means it’s smart to always check both types of offerings when CD shopping, and if your best rate option for your preferred deposit amount 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 in January, the central bankers announced a rate pause, keeping their benchmark rate where it is until at least their March meeting.
The Fed’s three 2024 rate cuts represent 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.
Inflation dipped in February but remains well above the Fed’s 2% target, so the Fed is expected to follow a gradual pace in lowering interest rates. According to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool at the time of this writing, interest rate futures traders are currently pricing in a 99% probability that the Fed will hold interest rates steady at its meeting that concludes Wednesday.
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—and economic policies from the new Trump administration have the potential to alter the Fed’s course. But with three Fed rate cuts already in the books, today’s CD rates could be the best you’ll see for some time. That makes now a smart time to lock in the best rate that suits your financial timeline.
Daily Rankings of the Best CDs and Savings Accounts
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 five, 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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