Key Takeaways
- Certificates of deposit (CDs) offer the advantage of guaranteeing their rate for the full CD term. That’s useful in times when interest rates could be dropping—a situation we’re potentially facing right now.
- While the Fed’s late 2024 rate cuts pushed the best CD rates down somewhat, rates are still historically very high.
- Not only that, but the top rate has actually climbed in 2025 for every term from 18 months to five years.
- Below, we lay out more than 30 excellent options for locking in a CD rate until 2026, 2027, or even 2028–2030—with top returns up to 4.60%.
- It’s possible the Fed will make one or two rate cuts this year and possibly reduce rates further in 2026. That makes mid- to long-term CDs guaranteeing today’s high rates a wise bet right now.
The full article continues below these offers from our partners.
CDs Are Smart Right Now—With Many Terms Paying More Today Than in December
Thanks to the Federal Reserve’s historic rate-hike campaign of 2022–2023, certificate of deposit (CD) rates climbed to 20-year highs before easing slightly lower last year. The downward shift is the result of the Fed moving last fall to a rate-cutting phase, with interest-rate reductions implemented in September, November, and December.
However, inflation is still proving stubborn, hovering below 3% annual rate but not yet down to the Fed’s desired 2% target. In addition, changes that could come from President Donald Trump’s administration have introduced uncertainty about what the economy will do in 2025. As a result, the central bank is in “wait and see” mode, having announced a rate pause at its January meeting.
The Fed’s changes to the federal funds rate matter to savers because banks and credit unions tend to follow suit with deposit rate changes for consumers. And right now, financial institutions are also unsure how long rates will stay at their current level. Consequently, CDs are still paying historically high returns, with the best nationwide CDs offering rates in the mid-4% range.
Even better, the leading rate in every term from 18 months to five years has actually ticked up since December. With no recent changes from the Fed, and none predicted for the next few months, banks and credit unions are left trying to compete for deposits. One way they do this is by boosting their rates.
You can see below the rate improvements we’ve seen since the end of 2024.
Going forward, however, Fed rate cuts are generally expected sometime in 2025. And reductions are currently predicted for 2026 as well. According to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, interest rate futures traders are pricing in an almost-90% probability that the Fed will cut rates at least a quarter point by the end of this year, and about 60% predict at least two 2025 cuts totaling a half point.
If that happens, CD rates will likely see a long gradual slide this year—and possibly next. That makes it a smart move to stash money you won’t need for a while in a CD paying one of today’s historically high rates. And the longer you can commit, the longer you’ll enjoy that CD rate guarantee—no matter what happens with the Fed.
Today’s Best CDs With Rate Guarantees Until 2026–2030
Our daily ranking of the best CD rates always provides you with a list of the highest nationally available offers. Right now, the tip-top return of 4.75% is offered on a short eight-month term. But since interest rates could decline over the next year or two, it’s smart to consider locking in one of today’s rates with a guarantee that lasts a year or more into the future.
Below are our roundups of today’s hottest rates that guarantee your annual percentage yield (APY) into 2026, 2027, or even until 2030. After each table, you can find links to our full rankings for that term, giving you even more options and deeper details.
Top Rates on CDs Maturing in 2026
| Bank or Credit Union | APY | Term (Months) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Credit Union | 4.60% | 13 | $5 |
| Credit Human | 4.55% | 12–17 | $500 |
| SecurityPlus Federal Credit Union | 4.50% | 12 | $1,000 |
| TotalBank | 4.50% | 12 | $25,000 |
| One American Bank | 4.46% | 12 | $500 |
| XCEL Federal Credit Union | 4.50% | 18 | $500 |
| Prime Alliance Bank | 4.45% | 12 | $500 |
| CommunityWide Federal Credit Union | 4.45% | 12 | $1,000 |
| Colorado Federal Savings Bank | 4.45% | 12 | $5,000 |
| Dow Credit Union | 4.45% | 13 | $500 |
| Salem Five | 4.45% | 15 | $10,000 |
For more details about these and many other top-paying CDs, including early withdrawal penalties and information about the institutions, visit our full daily rankings:
Top Rates on CDs Maturing in 2027
| Bank or Credit Union | APY | Term (Months) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Human | 4.45% | 18–23 | $500 |
| Banesco USA | 4.35% | 24 | $1,500 |
| University Federal Credit Union | 4.30% | 24 | $1,000 |
| Genisys Credit Union | 4.27% | 25 | $500 |
| KS State Bank | 4.25% | 24 | $500 |
| Transportation Federal Credit Union | 4.25% | 24 | $1,000 |
| Merrick Bank | 4.25% | 24 | $25,000 |
For more details about these and many other top-paying CDs, including early withdrawal penalties and information about the institutions, visit our full daily ranking:
Top Rates on CDs Maturing in 2028
| Bank or Credit Union | APY | Term (months) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Human | 4.40% | 24–35 | $500 |
| Credit Human | 4.31% | 36–59 | $500 |
| KS State Bank | 4.30% | 36 | $500 |
| Transportation Federal Credit Union | 4.30% | 36 | $1,000 |
| Merrick Bank | 4.20% | 36 | $25,000 |
| Mountain America Credit Union | 4.15% | 36 | $500 |
| Popular Direct | 4.15% | 36 | $10,000 |
For more details about these and many other top-paying CDs, including early withdrawal penalties and information about the institutions, visit our full daily ranking:
Top Rates on CDs Maturing in 2029–2030
| Bank or Credit Union | APY | Term (months) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation Federal Credit Union | 4.40% | 60 | $1,000 |
| Transportation Federal Credit Union | 4.35% | 48 | $1,000 |
| Credit Human | 4.31% | 36–59 | $500 |
| KS State Bank | 4.30% | 48 or 60 | $500 |
| Lafayette Federal Credit Union | 4.28% | 60 | $500 |
| Heartland Credit Union | 4.25% | 60 | $500 |
| Mountain America Credit Union | 4.25% | 60 | $500 |
| Mountain America Credit Union | 4.20% | 48 | $500 |
| Signature Federal Credit Union | 4.20% | 60 | $500 |
| Popular Direct | 4.20% | 60 | $10,000 |
| Synchrony Bank | 4.15% | 60 | Any amount |
For more details about these and many other top-paying CDs, including early withdrawal penalties and information about the institutions, visit our full daily rankings:
Can’t Commit for Years? Here Are Your Next-Best Options
If you’re not able or willing to lock up any savings for even a year, you can still benefit from today’s historically high rates. One way is by putting money in a shorter-term CD, depending on your personal timeline:
- Today’s Best 3-Month CD Rates: Rates up to 4.60%
- Today’s Best 6-Month CD Rates: Rates up to 4.75%
Or, if you need to keep your money fully accessible and can’t commit to a CD at all, consider a high-yield savings account. Our daily ranking of the best savings account rates also reaches up to 4.75% APY, with more than a dozen additional offers paying 4.40% or more.
Savings account rates are variable, meaning they can change at any time. Anytime the Fed cuts interest rates, savings account rates generally drop.
Daily Rankings of the Best CDs and Savings Accounts
How We Find the Best Savings and CD Rates
Every business day, Investopedia tracks the rate data of more than 200 banks and credit unions that offer CDs and savings accounts to customers nationwide and determines daily rankings of the top-paying accounts. To qualify for our lists, the institution must be federally insured (FDIC for banks, NCUA for credit unions), and the account’s minimum initial deposit must not exceed $25,000. It also cannot specify a maximum deposit amount that’s below $5,000.
Banks must be available in at least 40 states to qualify as nationally available. 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.