Here's Exactly How the Fed's Rate Cut Has Affected CD Rates
KEY POINTS
- The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate in September, for the first time since 2020.
- CD rates have already fallen as a result, although the exact decline varies depending on the bank.
- Over the next couple of years, the Fed is expected to cut rates by another two percentage points, which could certainly affect CD yields.
As you probably know by now, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate in September. Not only was this the first rate cut in the United States since March 2020, but it was a significantly more aggressive rate cut than many experts had anticipated.
Many people (correctly) believed that high-yield savings account and certificate of deposit (CD) rates would fall in response to the rate cut. Now that the rate cut is more than a month in the past, let's compare some of the CD rates from top online banks both before and after the rate cut.
With many more rate cuts expected, it could be a smart idea to lock in today's CD rates. Click here for our updated list of the top CD rates right now.
CD rates: Before and after
When analyzing CD rates and the effects of rate cuts, it's important to separate the discussion into short-term CDs (say, 18 months or less) and long-term CDs.
Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2025
Product | APY | Min. to Earn | |
![]() American Express® High Yield Savings
Member FDIC.
APY
3.70%
Rate info
3.70% annual percentage yield as of March 6, 2025. Terms apply.
Min. to earn
$0
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings
On American Express's Secure Website. |
3.70%
Rate info
3.70% annual percentage yield as of March 6, 2025. Terms apply.
|
$0
|
Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings
On American Express's Secure Website. |
![]() SoFi Checking and Savings
Member FDIC.
APY
up to 3.80%²
Rate info
You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. to earn
$0
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website. |
up to 3.80%²
Rate info
You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
|
$0
|
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings
On SoFi's Secure Website. |
![]() Capital One 360 Performance Savings
Member FDIC.
APY
3.70%
Rate info
See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Feb. 6, 2025. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
Min. to earn
$0
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings
On Capital One's Secure Website. |
3.70%
Rate info
See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Feb. 6, 2025. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.
|
$0
|
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings
On Capital One's Secure Website. |
SoFi disclosure:
¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking#1.
² SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.
³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.
⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional
FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms
See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks
⁵ We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.
⁶ Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.
⁷ Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.
In simple terms, short-term CD rates tend to be highly reactive to the current interest rate environment. It isn't a coincidence that the Fed set the benchmark federal funds rate at a target range of 4.75%–5.00%, and the top 1-year CD rates on our radar are in the mid-4.00% range.
When the Fed raises or lowers interest rates, 1-year CDs tend to move quickly in the same direction and by roughly the same magnitude. Here are some 1-year CD yields from top online banks, both before and after the Fed's September rate cut.
- As of late July 2024, over a month before the Fed's half-percent rate cut, Discover® Bank was offering 1-year CDs with a 4.70% APY. Today, the published rate is 4.00%.
- Quontic was advertising 1-year CDs with a 4.50% APY before the Fed cut rates. As of this writing, Quontic's 1-year CD APY is 4.00%.
In both cases, you can see how the CD rates declined in line with the Fed's rate cut.
But for longer-term CDs, rates are generally driven by expectations of future interest rates, as opposed to the current environment or any individual rate cut that takes place.
Even so, when the Fed decided to cut rates a bit more aggressively than expected in September, it shifted expectations for future rates, and therefore impacted many 5-year CD rates. For example:
- In mid-August, Discover® Bank was offering a 3.75% APY on its 5-year CD. As of this writing, it has a 3.50% APY.
- Quontic was paying 4.30% on its 5-year CD a few weeks prior to the rate cut. Its 5-year CD yield has since been slashed to 3.00%, perhaps as the bank plans for further rate cuts.
The bottom line
As mentioned, the September rate cut is expected to be the first in a multi-year series of rate cuts. The latest economic projections from the Fed call for a total of two full percentage points of rate cuts between now and the end of 2026.
There's no way to predict with accuracy whether the Fed's rate cuts will follow the expected trajectory or how they could impact CD rates even if they do. After all, there isn't a direct relationship between the federal funds rate and CD yields.
But it's fair to assume that shorter-term CD yields will generally gravitate lower over the next couple of years, while the yields paid by longer-term CDs will largely depend on how the expected path of interest rates changes over time.
Our Research Expert
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