CDs

Best 10-year CD rates — March 2021

By Libby Wells
  • /
  • 6 min read

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here’s an explanation for

Compared to savings accounts and short-term time deposits, 10-year CDs offer more competitive interest rates.

They’re also virtually risk-free. Once your account matures, you’ll earn a specific rate of return.

But a 10-year CD isn’t a good fit for every saver. Before buying one, consider why you should lock up your savings for a decade.

The best 10-year CD rates for March 2021

Note: The APYs (Annual Percentage Yield) shown are as of March 1,  2021. Bankrate’s editorial team updates this information regularly. APYs may have changed since they were last updated. The APYs for some products may vary by region.

Today’s top widely available 10-year CD pays 0.70 percent APY. This isn’t a very competitive rate, even in a low rate environment, so you may be better off investing in a shorter-term that pays a higher yield. For example, you can currently lock in up to 1.25 percent APY on a 5-year CD term.

Bankrate’s guide to choosing the right CD rate

Why you can trust Bankrate

Bankrate has more than four decades of experience in financial publishing, so you know you’re getting information you can trust. Bankrate was born in 1976 as “Bank Rate Monitor,” a print publisher for the banking industry, and it has been online since 1996. Hundreds of top publications rely on Bankrate. Outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information.

Methodology for Bankrate’s Best CD Rates

At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is unbiased and not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Bankrate regularly surveys around 70 widely available financial institutions, made up of the biggest banks and credit unions, as well as a number of popular online banks.

To find the best CDs, our editorial team analyzes various factors, such as: annual percentage yield (APY), the minimum needed to earn that APY (or to open the CD) and whether or not it is broadly available. All of the accounts on this page are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) or by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.

When selecting the best CD for you, consider the purpose of the money and when you’ll need access to these funds to help you avoid early withdrawal penalties.

Finding the best 10-year CD rates

Since few banks and credit unions offer 10-year CDs, finding the best rates may be challenging.

Compare offers with deposits backed by the federal government. Look closely at deals from online financial institutions.

Remember, few institutions offer certificates in this term, but you may find a better deal in your own search.

Best 10-year CD details

Vio Bank: 0.70% APY; $500 minimum deposit to open

Vio Bank is an online-only financial institution serving savers from coast to coast. Consumers in the market for a high-yield savings account or CD have access to competitive rates. CD terms range from six months to 10 years.

The bank is a new online division of MidFirst Bank, a financial institution based in Oklahoma City.

Discover Bank: 0.60% APY; $2,500 minimum deposit to open

Few well-known banks offer 10-year CDs. One exception is Discover Bank, which offers CDs across all standard terms. The bank’s 10-year CD yield is higher than the rates tied to the rest of its accounts. Still, it’s best for savers to proceed with caution before making a long-term investment in a CD.

Discover is an online bank headquartered in Greenwood, Delaware. One of its core values is to help bring financial education to students nationwide. Until August 2000, it was known as the Greenwood Trust Co., which was incorporated in 1911.

EmigrantDirect: 0.45% APY; $1,000 minimum deposit to open

EmigrantDirect is a division of Emigrant Bank. It has CDs with terms ranging from six months to 10 years. All of these CDs require a $1,000 minimum deposit.

EmigrantDirect also offers the American Dream Savings Account, which has no fees or service charges.

MySavingsDirect: 0.40% APY; $1,000 minimum deposit to open

Besides a 10-year CD, MySavingsDirect offers other CDs with terms up to five years, including a six-month CD and a 30-month CD for savers looking for a shorter term.

The bank is an online division of Emigrant Bank, a New York-based institution founded by Irish immigrants as a mutual savings bank in 1850.

Comerica Bank: 0.20% APY; $1,000 minimum deposit to open

Besides a 10-year CD, Comerica Bank also offers shorter CD terms starting at a minimum of seven days. However, you will find the highest yields on terms of five years or longer.

Comerica Bank is a Dallas-based institution that primarily serves customers in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas.

Coronavirus and Your Money

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused financial hardships for millions of Americans.

While CD rates are not likely to rise in this environment, their stability can offer some comfort to those who still have extra cash on hand. The rate on a CD stays the same during the deposit term and the account holder knows exactly when that term will end. With their locked-in interest rates, CDs are also a great choice to avoid the stock market’s ups and downs.

Who does a 10-year CD work best for?

How you invest your money depends in part on your risk tolerance. A 10-year CD could be a good fit for someone who’s afraid of taking risks with money and would prefer to have a guaranteed rate of return. Anyone in that camp should ladder CDs, or pair a 10-year CD with short-term certificates of deposit.

As the CDs mature, consider rolling your savings into accounts with better rates. Use a CD ladder calculator to maximize your returns.

When is a 10-year CD a good idea?

By going with a 10-year CD, you can be certain that the money you put into your account will be returned to you with the initial principal amount, plus interest.

The Federal Reserve has cut rates to their lowest level in history and says it will keep rates super-low through 2023, at least.

When is a 10-year CD a bad idea?

In many cases, you can earn more money with a 60-month CD than with one of the best 10-year CD rates. So leaving your funds tied up for five additional years doesn’t make sense.

Inflation is another concern. “If inflation is higher than the interest that you’re earning, you are actually losing buying power as the money sits in there for 10 years,” says Alan Dole, a wealth manager and financial planner with Equity Concepts, an investment and financial services firm in Richmond, Virginia.

Consider the opportunity cost

Don’t purchase a 10-year CD without evaluating other low-risk investment products like high-yield money market accounts. “Where else could you put that money that would earn you more?” Dole asks.

Savers could buy a 10-year CD and close the account before it matures. Just make sure the benefit of an early exit outweighs the cost of the withdrawal penalty.

Best 10-year CD rates — March 2021

Institution APY Minimum deposit
Vio Bank 0.70% $500
Discover Bank 0.60% $2,500
EmigrantDirect 0.45% $1,000
MySavingsDirect 0.40% $1,000
Comerica Bank 0.20% $1,000

Learn more about other CD terms:

Learn more about CDs:

 

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