Below you'll find featured rates available from our partners, followed by details from our ranking of the best CDs available nationwide.
The best CD rates have been drifting lower since the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate in both September and November. Last week saw a notable casualty: the highest 12-month rate fell from 5.00% to 4.65%. That rate is available from Signature Federal Credit Union and guarantees your return until January 2026.
Luckily, you can still secure a 5% or better rate, if you're content with a shorter rate lock. The leading overall CD rate remains 5.50% from Nuvision Credit Union. Advertised as available to open until Dec. 31, this certificate's 8-month term means your rate will last until August. (Note: The credit union is not obligated to continue its offer until Dec. 31, so there is no guarantee it will remain available until that date.)
One downside of Nuvision's CD is that it stipulates a maximum deposit of $5,000. So if you want to sock away more than that, a runner-up CD may be a better choice. Alabama Credit Union doesn't make any maximum deposit rules and will let you lock in a 5.00% rate for 7 months, guaranteeing your return until July.
| CD Terms | Friday's Top National Rate | Today's Top National Rate | Day's Change (percentage points) | Top Rate Provider |
| 3 months | 4.85% | 4.85% | No change | PonceBankDirect |
| 6 months | 5.50% | 5.50% | No change | Nuvision Credit Union |
| 1 year | 4.65% | 4.65% | No change | Signature Federal Credit Union |
| 18 months | 4.50% | 4.50% | No change | XCEL Federal Credit Union |
| 2 years | 4.30% | 4.30% | No change | Credit Human |
| 3 years | 4.25% | 4.25% | No change | Credit Human and Popular Direct |
| 4 years | 4.15% | 4.20% | +0.05 | Popular Direct |
| 5 years | 4.25% | 4.25% | No change | Popular Direct |
Among CDs that will guarantee your return into 2026, a good option is XCEL Federal Credit Union's 18-month certificate paying 4.50% APY. Meanwhile, the top APY on a 2-year certificate is 4.30%, available from Credit Human.
Want a rate guarantee that lasts even longer? The top 3-year return of 4.25% is offered by two institutions, Credit Human and Popular Direct. In addition, Popular Direct now offers the highest 4-year and 5-year rates, of 4.20% and 4.25%, respectively. Notably, Popular Direct's 4-year guarantee ticked up slightly from 4.15% on Friday to 4.20% today.
Long-term CDs could be smart right now, given the prospect of continued Fed rate cuts. The central bank has so far lowered the federal funds rate by three-quarters of a point this fall, and a further reduction is expected this week. Additional rate cuts in 2025 are also a strong possibility. 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.
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 today the leading rate is 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 require much larger deposits, but they don't always offer higher rates. Right now, the best jumbo CDs lead in just two of the eight terms we track. Last week's drop in the leading 1-year standard rate means you can now earn more in that term with a 4.85% jumbo certificate from GTE Financial. Additionally, Quorum Federal Credit Union is offering 4.35% on a 2-year jumbo CD vs. the top standard rate of 4.30%.
| CD Term | Friday's Top National Bank Rate | Today's Top National Credit Union Rate | Today's Top National Jumbo Rate |
| 3 months | 4.85%* | 4.80% | 4.11% |
| 6 months | 4.75% | 5.50%* | 4.85% |
| 1 year | 4.52% | 4.65% | 4.85%* |
| 18 months | 4.35% | 4.50%* | 4.49% |
| 2 years | 4.29% | 4.30% | 4.35%* |
| 3 years | 4.25%* | 4.25%* | 4.13% |
| 4 years | 4.20%* | 4.11% | 4.07% |
| 5 years | 4.25%* | 4.11% | 4.02% |
Last month, the Federal Reserve announced a cut to the federal funds rate, reducing it by 0.25 percentage points. That followed a bolder 0.50-point decrease in September, which kicked off the central bank's new phase of rate reductions.
All of this represents a pivot from the Fed'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. According to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, traders are pricing in more than a 95% chance the central bank will reduce rates by another quarter point at its meeting this Wednesday.
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 decline into 2025—and perhaps beyond.
Time will tell what exactly happens to the federal funds rate in the coming year. But with a couple of 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.
We update these rankings every business day to give you the best deposit rates available:
Best 3-Month CD Rates
Best 6-Month CD Rates
Best 1-Year CD Rates
Best 18-Month CD Rates
Best 2-Year CD Rates
Best 3-Year CD Rates
Best 4-year CD Rates
Best 5-Year CD Rates
Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
Best Money Market 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.
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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