Top CDs Today – April 17, 2025: Best 4-Year Rate Slides but 1-Year Leader Remains at 4.60%

Key Takeaways

• The maximum amount you can earn from a nationwide CD for 4 years has dropped today, from 4.40% to only 4.28%. Lafayette Federal Credit Union has become the new leader.
• Abound Credit union for 10 months and T Bank for six months offer the highest CD rates. Abound would guarantee your APY up to 2026.
• XCEL Federal Credit Union offers a 18-month certificate that pays 4.50% APY for a rate lock that extends all the way until October 2026.
• Want to extend your return even further? Top rates for 2-year to 5-year certificates range from 4.28% – 4.32%.
• The Fed is currently in a “wait-and see” mode with regards to rate cuts in 2025. It’s a good idea to lock in today’s best CDs, given the uncertain economy.

Below you'll find featured rates available from our partners, followed by details from our ranking of the best CDs available nationwide.

Rates as low as 4.50% and as high as 4.60% are guaranteed as far as 2026

Yesterday, the country’s leading CD rate fell from 4.65% down to 4.60%. Four co-leaders were involved. Two of these top rates disappeared today. You can still lock in the 4.60% rate with T Bank for a 6-month period or Abound Credit union for a 10-month period, extending your rate guarantee to early 2026.

Total of 18 CDs are available, the longest being 18 months. This CD is available at XCEL Federal Credit Union. It will lock in a 4.50% interest rate until October next year.

All Federally Insured Institutes Are Equally Protection

You’re protected if the institution fails. Not only that, but the coverage is identical—deposits are insured up to $250,000 per person and per institution—no matter the size of the bank or credit union.

Consider a longer-term CD to guarantee your rate further into the future

Lafayette Federal Credit Union pays 4.28% for a rate lock that you can enjoy until 2027. Genisys Credit Union is the leader in the 3-year rate, offering 4.32% APY for 30 months.

Customers who are looking for a longer guarantee may prefer the 4-year or 5-year certificates. Lafayette Federal Credit Union still offers a 4-year rate of 4.28%, even though it is down from 4.40%. In fact, Lafayette promises the same 4.28% APY on all its certificates from 7 months through 5 years—letting you secure that rate as far as 2030.

Given the possibility that the Fed could cut rates in 2025, or even 2026, it is probably a good idea to buy multiyear CDs right now. The central banks has already reduced the federal funds rate a full percentage points, and there may be more cuts this year. Bank APYs will fall if the Fed lowers interest rates, but you can enjoy a CD’s rate 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 this pullback, CDs offer a fantastic return. The best CD rates in October 2023 were above 6%. However, the current leading rate is only 4.60%. Compare this to the early 2022 period, before the Federal Reserve started its campaign of rapid rate increases. The best CDs offered a range of 0.50% to 1.7% APY depending on the term.

Jumbo CDs top regular CDs in four terms

Jumbo CDs require much larger deposits and sometimes pay premium rates—but not always. The best jumbo rates are currently equal to or even lower than the standard rates for half of the terms we track.

Both the top standard CDs and the top jumbo CDs offer the same rate, 4.50% APY. Institutions are offering higher rates on jumbo CDs in the following terms.

• 2 years: Lafayette Federal Credit Union offers the highest standard rate of 4.28% on a 2-year Jumbo CD.
• 3 years: Hughes Federal Credit Union is offering 4.34% on a 3-year Jumbo CD, compared to the standard rate of 4.32%.
• 4 years: Lafayette Federal Credit Union is offering 4.33% on a 4-year jumbo-CD compared to 4.28% at the highest standard interest rate.
• 5 years: GTE Financial, as well as Lafayette Federal Credit Union, offer 4.33% jumbo CDs for 5 years compared to the standard rate of 4.28%.

It is therefore wise to check both types when shopping for CDs. If the standard CD is your best option, open it with a large deposit.

What is the future of CD rates?

In December, the Federal Reserve announced its third rate cut in as many meetings. It was a reduction of a full percentage since September. In January and March, however, the central banks declined to further reduce the benchmark rate.

The Fed’s three 2024 rate cuts represented 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 nearly 14 months.

Fed rate changes are important for savers because they reduce the rates that banks and credit unions will pay consumers to deposit their money. CD rates and saving account rates are affected by changes in the fed funds rates.

Time will tell what exactly will happen to the federal funds rate in 2025 and 2026—and tariff activity from the Trump administration has the potential to alter the Fed’s course. But with more Fed rate cuts possibly arriving this year, today’s CD rates could be the best you’ll see for some time—making now a smart time to lock in the best rate that suits your personal timeline.

Daily Rankings of Best CDs and Savings accounts

These rankings are updated every business day so that you can get the best possible deposit rates.

• Best 3-Month CD rates
• Best 6-Month Rates
• Best 1-Year CD rates
• Best CD Rates 18-Months
• Best 2-Year Rates on CDs
• Best 3-Year CD rates
• Best 4-Year Rates
• Best 5-Year CD rates
• Best High-Yield Savings accounts
• Best Money Market accounts

You can also read about the importance of this in

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 different from the national average that includes all banks that offer a CD in that term. Many large banks pay a pittance of interest. The national averages will always be low, but the rates you can find by shopping around could be five, 10 or even 15 times more.

How to Find the Best CD Rates

Investopedia monitors the rates of more than 200 banks, credit unions and other institutions that offer CDs in the United States and determines the daily rankings of the highest-paying certificates for each 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 located in at least forty states. Some credit unions may require you to donate to an association or charity to become a part of their organization if you do not meet other criteria (e.g. you don’t work in a particular area or you don’t live in that area), but we exclude credit unions with a donation requirement of $40 or more. Read our methodology to learn more about how we select the best rates.

Article Sources Investopedia requires that writers use primary sources in order to support their work. These include whitepapers, government data, original reports, and interviews with experts in the industry. We also use original research from other reputable publications when appropriate. Learn more about our standards for producing accurate and unbiased content by visiting our Editorial Policy

1. Federal Reserve Board. "Open Market Operations."

2. Federal Reserve Board. "Federal Reserve Issues FOMC Statement, Jan. 29, 2025."

3. Federal Reserve Board. "Federal Reserve Issues FOMC Statement, March 19, 2025."