Key Takeaways
- The last CD locking in 5% or more came off the market today, adhering to the Jan. 31 expiration date it had been advertising.
- That moves the top rate on a nationally available 3-month CD into the lead, with MutualOne Bank offering 4.80% in that term.
- Yesterday, the leading 1-year rate rose to 4.60%, available from Vibrant Credit Union.
- 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.
Leading Overall Rate Drops from 5.50% to 4.80%
For the last few months, our ranking of the best CD rates has been topped by a promotional 8-month CD paying 5.50%. But Nuvision Credit Union took that certificate off the market today, as its fine print indicated it would do on Jan. 31.
That means the top rate you can earn in any CD term is now 4.80%. That’s available from MutualOne Bank with a 3-month rate lock. The new half-year leader is now Abound Credit Union, paying 4.75% on an 8-month term.
The top rate you can earn on a 1-year certificate climbed yesterday, rising to 4.60% at Vibrant Credit Union. Choosing a CD in the 1-year to 18-month range means you can secure your return well into 2026. Alongside Vibrant Credit Union, Credit Human is leading with a 4.55% rate and a take-your-pick term of 12–17 months.
Consider Multi-Year 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 who wants 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, if you can put the money away for that long, 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 4.80%. 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 rates 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.
| CD Term | Today’s Top National Bank Rate | Today’s Top National Credit Union Rate | Today’s Top National Jumbo Rate |
| 3 months | 4.80%* | 4.50% | 4.11% |
| 6 months | 4.65% | 4.75%* | 4.70% |
| 1 year | 4.50% | 4.60%* | 4.55% |
| 18 months | 4.45% | 4.55%* | 4.50% |
| 2 years | 4.45%* | 4.45%* | 4.25% |
| 3 years | 4.35% | 4.40%* | 4.34% |
| 4 years | 4.30% | 4.35%* | 4.30% |
| 5 years | 4.30% | 4.40%* | 4.33% |
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 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 the rates 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 will happen 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.