Key Takeaways
- The top rate for a nationally available 3-month CD got a boost from 4.70% to 4.80% today. That offer is available from MutualOne Bank.
- 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 seven CDs paying 4.50% to 4.55% 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 today, but 2025 rate cuts could come further 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 3-Month CD Rate Climbs to 4.80%
After the Federal Reserve made three interest rate cuts in 2024, it today held its benchmark rate steady at its first rate-setting meeting of the new year. Due to the reductions the central bank has already made, the best CD rates have been drifting lower. But today brought a welcome bit of good news for short-term savers.
The top rate you can now earn on a 3-month certificate, the shortest duration we track, is 4.80%. Available from MutualOne Bank, the new rate is an improvement over the 4.70% APY it was previously paying.
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, consider one of the other 13 CDs that pay at least 4.60% on terms of 3 to 8 months.
For a longer term, the best 1-year certificate is available from Credit Human, guaranteeing a 4.55% rate that’s yours to enjoy until next January, while six certificates pay 4.50% on terms as long as 18 months.
Consider Mid- to Long-Term CDs to Secure 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 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.
Best Jumbo CDs Match Standard CDs in Just One Term
Jumbo CDs require much larger deposits, but they don’t always offer higher rates. Right now, the best jumbo CDs match the standard rate in just one of the eight terms we track. Among 1-year CDs, you can earn 4.55% with a jumbo certificate from My eBank, the same APY as Credit Human’s regular 1-year offer. But in the other seven terms, the highest jumbo rate is currently below the best standard rate.
| 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% | 5.50%* | 4.70% |
| 1 year | 4.50% | 4.55%* | 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%* | 4.19% |
| 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 in as many meetings to the federal funds rate, reducing it a full percentage point since September. But today, 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.