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Friday, January 31, 2025

Top CDs Today, Jan. 30, 2025



Key Takeaways

  • The top rate for a nationally available 1-year CD climbed to 4.60% today, up from 4.55% That offer is available from Vibrant Credit Union.
  • The last CD locking in 5% or more is still valid, too—although only until Jan. 31. That offer, from Nuvision Credit Union, promises 5.50% for an 8-month term on deposits up to $5,000.
  • Alternatively, you can choose one of six CDs paying 4.50% to 4.60% with terms of 12 to 18 months—securing your rate well into 2026.
  • The best rates on multi-year CDs range from 4.35% to 4.45%. Leaders in the 2–5 year terms include Credit Human, Merrick Bank, and Transportation Federal Credit Union.
  • The Fed held interest rates steady this week, but 2025 rate cuts could arrive a bit down the road. So if you’re shopping today’s best CDs, it’s smart to lock in a top return as soon as you can.

Below you’ll find featured rates available from our partners, followed by details from our ranking of the best CDs available nationwide.

Top 1-Year CD Rate Rises to 4.60%

After the Federal Reserve made three interest rate cuts in 2024, it this week held its benchmark rate steady at its first rate-setting meeting of the new year. Due to the central bank’s previous reductions, the best CD rates have been drifting down over the past year or so. But today brought a welcome bit of good news for mid-term savers.

The top rate you can earn on a 1-year certificate, which is one of the most popular CD terms, is now up to 4.60%. Available from Vibrant Credit Union, the new rate is an improvement over the 4.55% APY that topped the 1-year term yesterday.

Leading the market across terms continues to be Nuvision Credit Union, with its 8-month CD paying 5.50%. At the moment, the promotional CD advertises an expiration date of Jan. 31, so act fast if you want to ensure you lock in this great rate. Nuvision has extended its deadlines in the past, but there’s no way to know if it will do so again—or if Friday truly is your last opportunity.

Note that Nuvision limits deposits in its promotional CD to $5,000. So if you’re looking to make a larger deposit in a short-term CD, consider one of the other 14 options that pay 4.60% or better on terms of 3 to 8 months.

Choosing a CD in the 1-year to 18-month range will mean you can secure your return well into 2026. Alongside Vibrant Credit Union’s 1-year leader, Credit Human is leading the 18-month term with a 4.55% rate and a take-your-pick term of 12–17 months.

To view the top 15–20 nationwide rates in any term, click on the desired term length in the left column above.

Consider Mid- to Long-Term CDs to Guarantee Your Rate Further Down the Road

Among CDs that will lock your return as far as 2027, the top APYs on 2- and 3-year certificates promise 4.45% and 4.40%. The leading 2-year rate is available from Credit Human and Merrick Bank, while the 3-year rate comes from Credit Human. And for anyone wanting an even longer rate lock, the leading 4- to 5-year rates are available from Transportation Federal Credit Union, which is paying 4.35% for 4 years or 4.40% for 5 years.

Multi-year CDs are likely smart right now, given the possibility of continued Fed rate cuts. The central bank has so far lowered the federal funds rate by a full percentage point, and 2025 could bring another cut or two. 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 5.50%. 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 Lose Against Standard 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 lower than the best standard CD rate in every single term we track. That means you’re better off checking both types of offerings when CD shopping, and if your best rate option is a standard CD, simply open it with a jumbo-sized deposit.

*Indicates the highest APY offered in each term. To view our lists of the top-paying CDs across terms for bank, credit union, and jumbo certificates, click on the column headers above.

Where Are CD Rates Headed in 2025?

In December, the Federal Reserve announced a third rate cut in as many meetings to the federal funds rate, reducing it a full percentage point since September. But this week, 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 14 months.

Now that inflation has cooled—and if the trend continues—it’s expected the Fed will continue to lower interest rates, but at a gradual pace. According to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, interest rate futures traders are currently pricing in about a 60% probability that we’ll see at least two cuts by the end of the year, while the other 40% are currently betting on either one reduction or no 2025 cuts at all.

Fed rate moves are significant to savers, as reductions to the fed funds rate push down what banks and credit unions are willing to pay consumers for their deposits. As a result, it currently seems likely that CD rates, as well as savings account rates, are in for a slow and gradual decline over the coming one to two years.

Time will tell what exactly happens to the federal funds rate in 2025 and 2026—and economic policies suggested by the new Trump administration have the potential to alter the Fed’s course. But with three Fed rate cuts already in the books, the CD rates available now are probably 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 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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