Citi offers three types of certificates of deposit, which rival the best CD rates offered right now. But not all of its terms have competitive annual percentage yields, or APYs. Many are well-below the national average, as tracked by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
You’ll also need at least $500 to open a CD with Citi. And its early withdrawal penalty ranges from 90 to 180 days of interest, depending on the term.
But if you already bank with Citi or live near a branch, choosing one of Citi’s CDs with a high promotional rate can help you yield more interest on your savings while having access to in-person customer assistance.
Citi CDs: At a glance
| CD type | Minimum deposit | Term | Compounding schedule | Early withdrawal penalty | Grace period |
| Fixed-rate | $500 | Three to 60 months | Monthly | 90 to 180 days of interest | Seven days |
| Step-up | $500 | 30 months | Monthly | 180 days of interest | Seven days |
| No-penalty | $500 | 12 months | Monthly | 90 days of interest | Seven days |
Citi’s CD rates
Citi offers featured rates for three of its fixed-rate CDs — nine-, 11- and 15-month CDs. Rates for other fixed-rate CDs fall between 0.05% and 2.50%, depending on the term. Speciality CDs, including step-up and no-penalty CDs, are also available. All CDs require a minimum $500 deposit.
Rates for some fixed-rate CD terms have balance ranges that may yield more interest if you deposit a higher amount. For example, Citi’s 15-month CD offers a 4.30% APY on balances below $100,000, but 4.75% on balances over this amount.
Fixed-rate CDs
| CD term | APY |
| 3-month | 0.05% |
| 4-month | 0.05% |
| 5-month | 0.05% |
| 6-month | 1.10% |
| 7-month | 0.05% |
| 8-month | 0.05% |
| 9-month | 4.30% |
| 10-month | 0.05% |
| 11-month | 5.05% |
| 1-year | 4.30% |
| 13-month | 0.10% |
| 14-month | 0.10% |
| 15-month | 4.30% – 4.75%* |
| 18-month | 2.50% |
| 2-year | 2.50% |
| 30-month | 0.10% |
| 3-year | 2.50% |
| 4-year | 2.50% |
| 5-year | 2.50% |
Step-up CD
Citi offers one step-up CD with a 30-month term that earns a composite APY of 0.10%. During months 1 through 10, it earns 0.5% APY, then 0.10% APY during months 11 through 20 and 0.15% APY during months 21 through 30.
No-penalty CD
Citi offers a 12-month no-penalty CD, which allows you to withdraw your money before the term ends free of charge. You will have to leave your money in the CD for at least the first six days after opening your account, however; otherwise Citi will charge an early withdrawal fee.
| CD term | APY | Minimum deposit |
| 12 months | 0.05% | $500 |
How much can you earn with Citi CDs?
The following table shows how much interest you can earn across a variety of Citi CDs if you invest $1,000 in a CD that compounds monthly.
| CD term and type | APY | Interest earned |
| Three-month fixed-rate CD | 0.05% | $0.13 |
| 12-month fixed-rate CD | 4.30% | $43.86 |
| 18-month fixed-rate CD | 2.50% | $38.17 |
| 30-month step-up CD | 0.10% | $2.50 |
| 12-month no-penalty CD | 0.05% | $0.50 |
How do Citi’s CD rates compare?
Citi offers a few competitive CD terms, but you can find higher rates elsewhere. Here’s a quick look at how Citi compares to Chase, Synchrony and Marcus by Goldman Sachs:
| CD term | Citi | Chase* Relationship Rate | Synchrony | Marcus by Goldman Sachs |
| 6-month | 0.05% | 4.00% | 4.90% | 4.90% |
| 1-year | 4.30% | 3.00% | 5.10% | 5.10% |
| 3-year | 2.50% | 3.00% | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| 5-year | 2.50% | 2.00% | 4.00% | 3.80% |
Additional savings options at Citi
Citi has a high-yield savings account that offers 4.35% APY on your savings in select zip codes, which is on par with other high-yield savings accounts. However, there are a few requirements to note. Citi charges a $4.50 monthly service fee, but it’s waived for your first month and the first three months after accounting option. You can waive it moving forward if you have a Citi checking account or maintain a $500 average monthly balance. If you qualify for a Citi relationship tier (the lowest tier requires a monthly balance of $30,000), you won’t have to worry about a monthly fee. Lastly, you may not qualify for this rate, depending on where you live.
If you’re not sure if you want to lock up your money for a set term, a high-yield savings account may make more sense. If you don’t qualify for Citi’s high-yield savings account, there are other banks offering similar or higher APYs.
Dashia is a staff writer for CNET Money who covers all angles of personal finance, including credit cards and banking. From reviews to news coverage, she aims to help readers make more informed decisions about their money. Dashia was previously a staff writer at NextAdvisor, where she covered credit cards, taxes, banking B2B payments. She has also written about safety, home automation, technology and fintech.
Toni Husbands is a staff writer with CNET Money who enjoys exploring topics that promote financial wellness. She began writing about personal finance to document her experience paying off $107,000 of debt, which is detailed in her book, The Great Debt Dump. Previously, she contributed as a freelance writer for websites, including CreditCards.com, Centsai and Wisebread. She was also a regular contributor to Business AM TV, and her work has been featured on Yahoo News. Being a part-time real estate investor and amateur gardener also brings her joy.
