16 Best 18-Month CD Rates for March 2026: Up to 4.10%

The best 18-month CD rate is 4.10% APY, available from USAlliance Financial. CD rates are near historic highs, with the top 18-month CD rates ranging from 3.90% to 4.10% APY. To find you the best CD rates nationwide, we review CD rates from hundreds of banks and credit unions every weekday morning.

We’ve been tracking 18-month CD rates since 2019, and the top CD rates in our rankings typically pay three to five times as much as the national average—or even more. All CDs and rates in our rankings were collected, verified, and available to open as of March 13, 2026.

Below are the top CD and annuity rates available from our partners, followed by the best CD rates that we’ve found from our research that are available to U.S. customers everywhere:

Best 18-Month CD Rates

• USAlliance Financial – 4.10% APY
• Chevron Federal Credit Union – 4.00% APY
• Brilliant Bank – 4.00% APY
• Summit Credit Union – 4.00% APY
• XCEL Federal Credit Union – 4.00% APY
• AmeriCU – 4.00% APY
• Marcus by Goldman Sachs – 4.00% APY
• Veridian Credit Union – 3.95% APY
• Sallie Mae Bank – 3.95% APY
• Vio Bank – 3.95% APY
• Newtek Bank – 3.95% APY
• Mountain America Credit Union – 3.90% APY
• Limelight Bank – 3.90% APY
• Communitywide Federal Credit Union – 3.90% APY
• Utah First Credit Union – 3.90% APY
• Popular Direct – 3.90% APY

USAlliance Financial – 4.10% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 12 months of interest
• Overview: Anyone can join USAlliance by agreeing to a free membership in the nonprofit American Consumer Council and keeping at least $1 in a savings account. Established in 1966 to serve IBM employees, USAlliance is headquartered in Rye, New York.¹
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Chevron Federal Credit Union – 4.00% APY

• Term (months): 15
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Chevron Federal Credit Union and Spectrum Credit Union operate under the same umbrella, and both offer this rate. Anyone can join either credit union by donating $15 to the Contra Costa County Historical Society and keeping $25 or more in a savings account. Headquartered in Concord, California, Chevron dates back to 1935.²
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Brilliant Bank – 4.00% APY

• Term (months): 15
• Minimum deposit: $1,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: Half the interest that would have been earned if held to maturity
• Overview: Brilliant Bank is an online-only division of FDIC-insured Equity Bank, which operates branches in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.³
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

*Online accounts from Brilliant Bank are not available to residents of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Summit Credit Union – 4.00% APY

• Term (months): 16
• Minimum deposit: $5,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Anyone can join Summit by keeping at least $5 in a member savings account. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, Summit dates back to 1935.
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

XCEL Federal Credit Union – 4.00% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Anyone can join XCEL by making a $20 donation to the nonprofit Ocean Running Club and keeping $5 or more in an XCEL savings account. Founded in 1964, its headquarters are in New Jersey.⁴
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

AmeriCU – 4.00% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 7 months of interest
• Overview: Anyone nationwide is eligible to join AmeriCU through membership in the American Consumer Council. AmeriCU originally was founded in 1950 as Griffiss Employees Credit Union at Griffiss Air Force base in Rome, New York. It took its current name in 2000.⁵
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Marcus by Goldman Sachs – 4.00% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 9 months of interest
• Overview: Marcus by Goldman Sachs is an online-only bank established in 2016 by the investment bank giant.⁶
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Veridian Credit Union – 3.95% APY

• Term (months): 15
• Minimum deposit: $1,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Membership is available to anyone nationwide who donates $5 to Habitat for Humanity. Veridian was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Iowa.⁷
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Sallie Mae Bank – 3.95% APY

• Term (months): 15
• Minimum deposit: $2,500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Sallie Mae Bank is the online banking arm of the well-known student loan provider. Founded in 1972, Sallie Mae Bank is headquartered in Delaware.⁸
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Vio Bank – 3.95% APY

• Term (months): 4
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 3% of withdrawal plus $25
• Overview: Vio Bank is the online banking division of MidFirst Bank, an Oklahoma institution established in 1911 that is among the Top 100 largest U.S. banks.⁹
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Newtek Bank – 3.95% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $2,500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Newtek Bank is a subsidiary of Newtek One (NASDAQ: NEWT), a financial company that dates back to 2000. Newtek Bank is headquartered in Miami.¹⁰
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Mountain America Credit Union – 3.90% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $500
• Early withdrawal penalty: 6 months of interest
• Overview: Anyone can join Mountain America by agreeing to a membership in the nonprofit American Consumer Council and keeping at least $1 in a savings account. Established in the 1930s, MACU is headquartered in Sandy, Utah.¹¹
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Limelight Bank – 3.90% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $1,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: 3 months of interest
• Overview: Limelight is an internet-only division of Capital Community Bank, which was established in 1993 and operates five branches in Utah.¹²
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Communitywide Federal Credit Union – 3.90% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $1,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: Complex formula; refer to disclosures and exercise caution
• Overview: Anyone can join CommunityWide by donating $15 to the credit union’s local chapter of the Marine Corps, as well as keeping $5 or more in a savings account. CommunityWide was founded in 1967, and now operates in Michigan and Indiana.¹³
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Utah First Credit Union – 3.90% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $2,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: All earned interest up to 6 months
• Overview: Credit union membership is available to anyone who makes a $5 donation to join the Community Volunteers of Utah. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah First Credit Union was founded in 1935.
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Popular Direct – 3.90% APY

• Term (months): 18
• Minimum deposit: $10,000
• Early withdrawal penalty: 9 months of interest
• Overview: Popular Direct is the online-only arm of Popular Bank, the U.S. banking subsidiary of Popular Inc., which was founded in 1893 and serves banking customers in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean. It is headquartered in New York.¹⁴
• Rate verified as of March 13, 2026

Compare the Best 18-Month CD Rates

What Is an 18-Month CD and How Does It Work?

Certificates of deposit (CDs) are fixed-interest accounts where you can deposit your money and then withdraw it later. You can get a CD from a bank or credit union. An 18-month CD requires you to keep the funds untouched for about a year and a half. For our rankings, we consider 18-month CDs to be anything with a term of 15 to 20 months.

In exchange for giving up access to your funds, you’ll generally be rewarded with a higher interest rate than the bank pays on savings and money market accounts.

When opening a CD, deposit a lump sum of funds into the account at or above the minimum required deposit for that CD. The funds will sit in the account for about 18 months, earning interest along the way. When the CD hits its maturity date, you can withdraw the funds plus their earned interest from the account with no penalty.

CD terms of 15 to 20 months are eligible for our 18-month rankings. Where more than one institution pays the same top rate, our rankings prioritize CDs by the shortest term, then the CD requiring the smallest minimum deposit. If there is still a tie, we rank alphabetically by institution name.

Fast Fact

Pros and Cons of 18-Month CDs

Pros

• Offers a guaranteed rate for 18 months: No matter what happens with the Federal Reserve and interest rates, the bank cannot change the APY you secure when you sign your CD agreement and make your deposit.
• May pay a higher APY than other terms: Shopping around is critical, as rates can vary widely across institutions and also across different CD lengths.
• Pays reliable and predictable earnings: Because your CD rate is fixed and your term is known, you can calculate exactly how much your earnings will amount to once the CD matures.
• Is safe and virtually risk-free: CDs opened at an FDIC bank or NCUA credit union are federally insured, protecting up to $250,000 of your deposits in the unlikely event that the institution fails.
• Can deter the temptation to spend since funds are tied up: Withdrawing your funds before the CD matures will trigger an early withdrawal penalty, which may be enough to stop you from pulling the funds out for unplanned spending.

Cons

• Incurs a penalty if you withdraw early: Every bank and credit union specifies their policy on how they’ll calculate your penalty if you don’t keep your CD funds deposited until maturity. Typically, the penalty is a number of months’ interest that you’ll forfeit.
• Allows only one deposit amount: With most CDs, you get one chance to decide how much you want to invest in the certificate. Additional deposits are generally not allowed.
• If rates fall, you may wish you’d opted for a longer term: Investing in a longer CD would have allowed you to retain a good rate for a longer period of time
• If rates rise, you’ll be locked at a lower rate until maturity: If you lock into an 18-month CD and then rates rise, you’ll be stuck with your current rate until you can withdraw your funds.

Important

Though consumers tend to think about CD terms in nice round numbers, be sure to consider odd-term CDs, such as 15-month, 18-month, or 21-month certificates. It’s not uncommon for promotional rate CDs to have unusual durations, so don’t limit yourself to only the conventional terms.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a CD

When choosing a CD, consider the following factors:

• Your goals: Both short-term financial goals and long-term financial goals are important.
• How much money you can deposit: CDs have minimums, so if you only have $500 to deposit, you’ll need to find a CD with that minimum balance requirement.
• How long you can leave that money in the CD without touching it: This will help you determine the right term—whether that’s a 1-year CD or a 3-year CD.
• Interest rates offered for your term and minimum deposit: The higher the rate, the more you will earn on your deposit during the CD term.
• CD type: Is it a bump-up CD or a regular CD? This will ensure you’re choosing one that meets your needs and goals.

Once you choose a CD, open the account, and deposit your money to start earning interest.

Financial Advisor Insight

“The key to choosing the right CD is matching the term length to your needs,” said Ryan Greiser, CFP, a member of Investopedia’s Financial Advisor Council. “If you won’t need access to the money for a year or more, consider locking in a higher rate with a longer-term CD.”

18-Month CD Penalties and Fees

Almost all CDs—not just 18-month CDs—come with an early withdrawal penalty. That means that if you decide to take your money out of the CD before the date the CD matures, you have to pay a fee. The fee is typically in the form of interest you earned, such as three or six months’ worth of interest.

For example, let’s say you deposited $1,000 in an 18-month CD with a 5.00% APY. The total interest you would earn by keeping it in the CD for 18 months is $75.93. If the CD comes with an early withdrawal penalty worth six months of interest, then you would have to pay $25.31 if you decided to take your money out early.

Other than the early withdrawal penalty, CDs don’t typically come with any other fees (though the banking institution may require some).

Tip

When choosing an 18-month CD, be sure to review the early withdrawal penalty. If you think you might need to withdraw your money before the CD matures, look for a CD with a lower penalty so that you end up with the most money possible when you withdraw. If you are positive that you won’t touch the money in the CD until maturity, you may feel comfortable opening a CD with a more expensive penalty.

How to Find the Best 18-Month CD Rates

This list includes the best 18-month CD rates, meaning that they are the highest 18-month CD rates nationwide. To find you the top 18-month CD rates, we look at hundreds of banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions every day and gather the CDs with the highest rates that are available nationwide, including CDs with terms of 15 to 20 months.

When looking for an 18-month CD, consider the amount of money you want to deposit, the interest rate on the CD, and the early withdrawal penalty. For example, if a 20-month CD offers a 5.00% interest rate on a $25,000 deposit, but a 12-month withdrawal penalty, you may want to compare it with a 15-month CD with the same deposit but a six-month withdrawal penalty.

This comparison is important to think about because if you need that money back sooner than maturity, you need to know what amount of interest you’ll lose by withdrawing early. With that in mind, you’ll need to first compare your options based on your deposit amount, then look at the rate and early withdrawal penalty.

Note

CD rates are the same for everyone who applies to open a CD. Your credit score and other financial history and experience are not determining factors like they are with credit cards or loans. So even if you have bad credit, you can earn a high interest rate on your savings by locking it up in a CD for a period of time.

How to Open an 18-Month CD

After you find the right CD for you, you’ll need to apply to open the account. This may be easy if you’re already a member of the bank or credit union. If you’re not, you may need to open another savings account first, or apply to be a member of the credit union by joining another free or low-cost organization (the American Consumer Council is a popular one).

To open an 18-month CD, follow these steps:

1. Find the CD you want to open, whether online or in-person at the bank or credit union.
2. Have a current membership or relationship with the bank or credit union via an open account like a savings or a checking account, and/or through a non-profit organization (typically only applies to credit unions).
3. Fill out the application with your name, deposit amount, and other personal info.
4. Wait for approval.
5. Fund the CD and let your money earn interest. You may be able to send a check, wire the money, or electronically transfer it, depending on the institution.
6. Read the CD’s terms. This fine print info will tell you the interest rate you’ll be paid, the date of the CD’s maturity, how often your interest will be paid and compounded, and the early withdrawal penalty (if any) that you need to pay if you request to withdraw your money before maturity.

Once your 18-month CD is opened, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it process to earn your interest.

There are just two times when you may need to take action on your 18-month CD:

• When you need your money back before maturity: You’ll likely pay an early withdrawal penalty and will need to withdraw the funds before transferring them into another account. Then the CD will be closed.
• When your CD matures: You may need to indicate if you want the CD to roll over into another CD at the institution or if you want the money withdrawn and deposited back into your other account.

In the News

The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged at its Jan. 28 meeting, maintaining a range of 3.50%–3.75%. The Fed had cut rates at its three previous meetings and six times since September 2024. CD rates closely follow the federal funds rate, which means CD rates are expected to decline if the Fed lowers rates later this year.¹⁵¹⁶

Alternatives to 18-Month CDs

18-Month CDs vs. Other CD Terms

Instead of an 18-month CD, you could choose a shorter certificate to limit the amount of time your funds are tied up, but you may have to settle for a slightly lower rate. The same is true if you go with a longer-term CD: rates could be lower than what you can earn in 18 months. It all depends on the current rate environment, so it’s important that you shop around.

For example, if rates are higher now than you think they will be in the future, locking in one of today’s rates for as long as possible can be a smart move. This allows you to retain your APY for longer than if you chose a shorter-term CD.

CDs vs. Savings and Money Market Accounts

Opening a top-paying high-yield savings account or a money market account is an alternative option to a CD. These accounts let you earn a competitive return on your funds with more flexibility. The downside is that savings and money market accounts pay a variable rate, which means that if interest rates go down in the future, so will the rate you’re earning in these accounts.

The same applies to cash reserve and money market funds at brokerage firms. Many of these pay much lower rates than you can earn with a high-yield savings account at a top-paying bank. But even when the APY on a brokerage cash account is competitive, it too is a variable rate that you can’t lock in like you can with a CD.

CDs vs. US Savings Bonds & Treasuries

You could alternatively put your funds in U.S. savings bonds or Treasuries. The U.S. government offers two types of savings bonds: EE bonds and I bonds. EE bonds offer a fixed interest rate that you’ll know at the time of making your deposit decision, while I bonds offer a rate that changes every six months based on current inflation levels (hence, the name I bonds). These investments are exceptionally safe, but they do not allow a withdrawal within the first 12 months for any reason.

You can also lend money to the U.S. government by purchasing Treasury bonds. These are called T-bills for durations of four weeks to one year, and Treasury notes for durations of two to 10 years. Treasuries are considered one of the safest investments in the world, but their rates are not always as high as the best CDs or high-yield savings accounts.

Why You Can Trust Our Expert Recommendations for the Best 18-Month CD Rates

Investopedia collects thousands of CD rates from hundreds of banks and credit unions every weekday. When ranking CD rates, we look at factors like term, early withdrawal penalty, and minimum opening deposit. We also research banks and credit unions to provide unbiased, comprehensive reviews to ensure our readers make the right decisions for their needs.

Investopedia launched in 1999 and has been helping readers find the best CD rates since 2019. Back when we first started tracking 18-month CD rates, the top interest rate on an 18-month CD was 2.70% APY. By October 2023, the top 18-month CD rate was 6.00%—over two times what it was four years earlier. While CD rates have fallen since then, they remain high in 2024.

The CDs we recommend must be available nationwide and these certificates typically pay three to five times as much as the national average—or even more. To be eligible for our rankings, each CD’s minimum opening deposit requirement cannot exceed $25,000 and must be offered by an FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union (which covers up to $250,000 per depositor).

Frequently Asked Questions

• What Are the Best CD Rates for 18 Months?
• Is an 18-Month CD a Good Investment?
• Do 18-Month CDs Beat Inflation?
• When Is an 18-Month CD a Good Choice?
• Are Online Bank CDs Safe?
• Why Do Shorter CDs Sometimes Pay More Than Longer CDs?
• How Do You Build a CD Ladder?
• Can You Lose Money in a CD?
• Financial Institutions We Reviewed

How We Find the Best 18-Month CD Rates

Every business day, Investopedia tracks the rate data of more than 200 banks and credit unions that offer CDs to customers nationwide, and determines daily rankings of the top-paying certificates in every 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 available in at least 40 states. 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.

Your Guide to CDs

• What Is a Certificate of Deposit (CD)?
• What Is a Brokered CD?
• What Is a CD Ladder?
• Pros and Cons of CDs
• How to Invest With CDs
• How to Open a CD
• How to Close a CD
• CDs vs. Annuities
• CDs vs. Stocks
• CDs vs. Mutual Funds
• CDs for ETFs
• CDs vs. Savings Accounts
• Short-Term vs. Long-Term CDs
• CD Rates News
• Best CD Rates
• Best 3-Month CD Rates
• Best 6-Month CD Rates
• Best 1-Year CD Rates
• Best 2-Year CD Rates
• Best 3-Year CD Rates
• Best 4-Year CD Rates
• Best 5-Year CD Rates
• Best Bank CD Rates
• Best Jumbo CD Rates