Key Takeaways
- Given the economic uncertainty unleashed by President Donald Trump’s evolving tariffs, boosting your cash cushion may be smart right now.
- Fortunately for savers, the Fed isn’t likely to cut interest rates anytime soon—meaning today’s great cash returns still have some runway.
- The best high-yield savings accounts pay up to 5.00% right now, while CDs paying 4.50% will let you lock in your APY as long as late 2026.
- At brokerage firms and robo-advisors, you can generally earn 4% or better, while U.S. Treasurys pay up to 4.81% as of today’s market close.
- See our tables below for the latest returns on all of these options.
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Holding Some Cash Is Smart—And Luckily Pays Quite Well Right Now
In today’s climate of economic uncertainty, triggered by President Trump’s evolving tariff policy, parking cash in reserve feels prudent. But whether you’re holding savings in the bank or shifting funds from riskier investments, it’s important to consider how much you can earn from different cash strategies.
Fortunately, the options are excellent right now, as returns continue to be buoyed by the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate remaining high. Not only that, but it appears likely the central bank will keep its federal funds rate where it is for two more meetings. According to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, financial markets are currently pricing in 66% odds that the first 2025 rate cut won’t come before the Fed’s July 30 rate announcement.
That would be good news for savers, as the rates that banks, credit unions, and brokerages are willing to pay on your savings are directly impacted by the federal funds rate. Anytime the Fed cuts that benchmark rate, rates for savings, money market, and CD accounts fall as well.
Today’s Best Rates on Cash – May 2, 2025
For an attractive interest rate that involves virtually no risk, the options for safe cash investment come in three main flavors:
- Bank and credit union products: Savings accounts, money market accounts (MMAs), and certificates of deposit (CDs)
- Brokerage and robo-advisor products: Money market funds and cash management accounts
- U.S. Treasury products: T-bills, notes, and bonds, in addition to I bonds
You can choose just one of these or mix and match products for different buckets of funds 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, indicating the change from a week ago.
Bank and Credit Union Rates
The rates below are the top nationally available APYs from federally insured banks and credit unions, based on our daily rate research of more than 200 institutions that offer nationwide products.
Warning
Note that savings and money market account rates are variable, meaning the bank is free to lower them at any time. In contrast, CD rates are locked and guaranteed for the certificate’s full term.
Brokerage and Robo-Advisor Rates
The yield on money market funds fluctuates daily, while rates on cash management accounts are more fixed but can change at any time.
U.S. Treasury Rates
Treasury securities pay their rate through maturity and can be bought directly from TreasuryDirect, or can be bought and sold on the secondary market via a bank or brokerage. I bonds must be bought from TreasuryDirect and can be held for up to 30 years, with rates adjusted every six months.
Summary Table: All Cash Options by Rate
Here’s a different look at all of the cash vehicles above, sorted by rate. Note that the rates shown are the highest qualifying rate for each product type.
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. But don’t assume your primary bank pays a competitive rate. Some banks pay virtually zero interest.
Fortunately, we make shopping for a high rate easy. Our daily ranking of the best high-yield savings accounts gives you almost 20 options paying 4.35% to 5.00% APY. Note, however, that savings account rates can change at any time.
Money Market Accounts
A money market account is a savings account that lets you write paper checks. If this is a useful feature to you, shop our list of the best money market accounts.
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 4.40% APY. Again, be aware that money market rates are variable, so they can be lowered without warning.
Certificates of Deposit
A certificate of deposit (CD) is a bank or credit union product with a fixed interest rate that promises a guaranteed return for a set period of time. Generally ranging from 3 months to 5 years, CDs offer a predictable return with a rate that cannot be changed for the duration of the term.
But be aware that it’s a commitment with teeth: If you cash in before maturity, your earnings will be dinged with an early withdrawal penalty. Our daily ranking of the best nationwide CDs currently includes options paying up to 4.50% APY.
Brokerage and Robo-Advisor Products
Money Market Funds
Unlike a money market account at a bank, money market funds are mutual funds invested in cash and offered by brokerage and robo-advisor firms. Their yields can fluctuate daily but currently range from 3.98% to 4.23% at the three biggest brokerages.
Cash Management Accounts
For uninvested cash held at a brokerage or robo-advisor, you can have the funds “swept” into a cash management account where it will earn a return. Unlike money market funds, cash management accounts offer a specific interest rate that the brokerage or robo-advisor can adjust whenever it likes. Currently, several popular brokers are paying 3.83% to 4.00% APY on their cash accounts.
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 have the shortest duration, ranging from 4 to 52 weeks, while Treasury notes have a maturity of 2 to 5 years. The longest-term option is a Treasury bond, which has a 20 or 30-year maturity. Today’s rates on the various Treasury products range from 3.82% to 4.81%.
You can buy T-bills, notes, and bonds directly from TreasuryDirect or buy and sell them on the secondary market at brokerages and banks. Selling a Treasury product allows you to exit before the bond matures. 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 buy Treasury ETFs, which trade on the market like a stock. Treasury ETFs have advantages and limitations, which you can read about here.
I Bonds
U.S. Treasury I bonds have a rate that’s adjusted every six months to align with inflation trends. You can redeem an I bond anytime after one year or hold it for as long as 30 years. Every six months you own the bond, your rate will change.
I bond rates just went up on May 1, from 3.11% for bonds issued during the last six months to 3.98% for new bonds purchased from May 1 to Oct. 31, 2025. For existing I bond holders, your next six-month rate will also increase—by almost a full percentage point. See our story about the recent rate change, including rate tables for different bond dates.
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.
