What Can You Do to Earn the Most Money in Tariff Times? Here’s How to Earn the Most

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Takeaways

  • You may be considering increasing your cash reserves after President Trump’s midweek tariff announcement caused the stock market to plummet.
  • Fortunately, there are many safe haven investments that pay returns in the mid-4% area right now.
  • Banks and Credit Unions offer high-yielding savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts. Today’s top rates are between 4.30% and 4.65% APY.
  • Brokerages, meanwhile, and robo-advisors provide money market funds and accounts for cash management, with rates as high as 4.23%.
  • You can also choose Treasurys from the United States, ranging between 1-month T-bills and 30-year Treasury notes. The rates are currently between 3.66% and 4.44%.
  • We track all these options each week to help you decide which makes the most sense with your money.

The full article can be found below these offers.

In Uncertain Times, Cash Is King—But Be Sure You're Earning a Solid Return

A solid cash reserve looks more appealing in light of the chaos that the announcement of tariffs across the globe on Wednesday has caused. Whether you are putting your savings in the bank, or moving funds from stocks to cash vehicles, you should consider how much money you can earn by using different strategies.

Three main types of safe cash investments are available that offer attractive interest rates and virtually no risk.

  1. Bank and credit union productsSavings Accounts, Money Market Accounts, and Certificates of Deposit (CDs).
  2. Brokerage and robo advisor productsMoney market funds, cash management accounts
  3. Treasury ProductsT-bills (T-bills), notes and bonds are available in addition to the I bonds

You can choose one of these products or mix them up to suit different budgets and timelines. In any case, you'll want to understand what each product pays. Below, we lay out today's top rates in every category and indicate the change from a week ago.

Tip

Need more information on the pros and cons? Below the tables we describe each and provide links for more detailed information.

Today's Best Rates on Cash

This week, there was a mixed rate movement across different cash instruments. The leading rates for money market and high-yielding savings accounts. All CD terms except two are held They are at their previous levels. The best CD returns of 18 months and 2 years have, however, fallen. The top deposit rate for the nation is now 4,65%. It is available at two different institutions, which top our ranking of best nationwide CDs.

Vanguard, the largest brokerage, offered a top yield of 4.23%. Rates for brokerage cash management accounts remained stable, ranging between 3.83% and 4.00%.

Cash interest rates were the most affected by Treasurys. While rates on T-bills were largely unchanged, Treasurys that are longer than 3 months saw rate reductions ranging from 5 up to 27 basis points. The lowest Treasury interest rate this week is 3.6% for a three-year note. Meanwhile, 20-year Treasury Bonds continue to offer a high return of 4.44%.

In any case, returns in the 4% range are excellent, and the various options below are likely to be a good fit for almost anyone's cash savings needs and timeline.

It is important to note that

Note that the "top rates" quoted for savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs are the highest nationally available rates Investopedia has identified in its daily rate research of hundreds of banks and credit unions. This is very different from the national average, comprising all institutions offering a CD with that term—including many large banks that pay a pittance in interest. The national average is always low while the rates we offer are 5, 10, or 15 times higher.

Understanding Your Different Cash Options

Bank and Credit Union Products

Savings Accounts

The most basic place to stash cash is a bank or credit union savings account—sometimes called a high-yield savings account—that lets you add and withdraw money as you please. Don’t assume that your primary bank offers a competitive interest rate. Some banks pay almost no interest.

We make it simple to shop for a high interest rate. Our daily ranking shows 15 high-yielding accounts that pay between 4.35% and 4.60% annual percentage yield. Please note that rates for savings accounts can change at any moment.

Money Market Accounts

A money market is a savings account with the option to write checks. Shop our list of best money market account if this feature is important to you.

If you don’t need paper check-writing, choose whichever account type—money market or savings—pays the better rate. The top money-market account rate is currently 4.4% APY. Be aware that money-market rates are not fixed and can change without warning.

Certificates of deposit

Certificates of deposit (CDs) are bank or credit union products that have a fixed interest rate and promise a guaranteed profit for a certain period of time. CDs are a bank or credit union product that offers a guaranteed return for a set period of time.

You should be aware, however, that the commitment is not without teeth. If your earnings are withdrawn before maturity you will be penalized with an early-withdrawal penalty. Our daily ranking of the top nationwide CDs includes options that pay up to 4.65% annual percentage yield.

Brokerage and RoboAdvisor Products

Money Market Funds

Money market funds, unlike a money-market account at a traditional bank, are mutual funds that invest in cash. They are offered by brokerage firms and roboadvisors. Their yields are subject to daily fluctuations, but currently range between 3.98% and 4.23% with the three largest brokerages.

Cash Management Accounts

You can “sweep” uninvested funds from a brokerage account or robo advisor into a Cash Management Account where they will earn interest. Cash management accounts, unlike money market funds offer a fixed interest rate that can be adjusted by the brokerage or roboadvisor at any time. Cash accounts are currently offered by several popular brokers at 3.83% to 4.0% APY.

U.S. Treasury Products

Treasury Bills, Notes and Bonds

The U.S. Treasury offers a wide array of short—and long-term bond instruments. Treasury bills are the shortest-term instruments, with a duration ranging from four to 52 weeks. Treasury notes, on the other hand, have a maturity ranging between two and five years. A Treasury bond has a maturity of 20 to 30 years. The rates for the different Treasury products today range from 3.66% up to 4.44%.

TreasuryDirect allows you to buy and sell T-bills (notes), bonds, and notes directly or on the secondary market through brokerages and banks. Selling a Treasury Product allows you to exit the bond before maturity. However, you may pay a fee or commission for secondary market purchases and sales, while buying and redeeming at TreasuryDirect—the U.S. Treasury’s online platform for buying federal government securities—has no fees.

You can also purchase Treasury ETFs that trade on the stock market just like stocks. You can read here about the advantages and limitations of Treasury ETFs.

I Bonds

The rate of U.S. Treasury Bonds I is adjusted every six-months to match inflation trends. You can redeem your I bond at any time after the first year or keep it for 30 years. The rate of the bond will change every six-months.

How we find the best CD rates and savings

Investopedia tracks daily the rates of more than 200 banks, credit unions, and savings accounts that are offered to customers across the nation. This data is used to determine the best-paying accounts. To be included in our lists, an institution must be federally backed (FDIC for credit unions, NCUA or FDIC for banks) and have a minimum deposit of $25,000 for the account. It cannot also specify a maximum amount of deposit that is below $5,000.

To qualify as a national bank, the bank must be located in at least forty states. While some credit unions ask you to donate to an association or charity to become a part of their organization if you do meet other criteria (e.g. if you live in certain areas or work in certain jobs), we exclude credit cooperatives that require a donation of $40 or more. To learn more about our methodology, please read the full article.

Article Sources Investopedia asks writers to use primary resources to support their writing. White papers, government statistics, original reporting and interviews with industry professionals are all examples. We also use original research from other reputable publications when appropriate. Our website contains more information about the standards that we adhere to in order to produce accurate and unbiased content. Editorial Policy

  1. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation "National Rates and Rate Caps."

  2. TreasuryDirect. "About Treasury Marketable Securities."

  3. U.S. Treasury. "I Bonds."

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