What CDs Gained the Most Traction Last Year? CD Valet's 2025 Analysis Reveals Interest in Short-Term CDs and a Yield Curve Beginning to Flatten

January 2026 CD rate trends show growing opportunity with longer-term CDs

SEATTLE, Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Certificates of Deposit (CDs) had a resurgence in 2022 when interest rates jumped, and three years later, savers are continuing to seek out CDs amid a changing rate environment and a yield curve that is beginning to reward longer-term investments.

CD Valet is a digital marketplace that connects consumers with the best verified, high-yield CD rates nationwide, helping community financial institutions effectively attract new deposits. The company today shared an analysis of consumer activity, CD rate trends and partner institution performance across its digital CD marketplace in 2025.

2025 CD Activity Centered on Terms of 12 Months and Less

"Last year saw an increased interest in and demand for low-risk investment vehicles, with many turning to CDs to make the most of their savings," said Mary Grace Roske, Head of Marketing & Communications at CD Valet. "While we saw high engagement with shorter-term CD offerings last year, we expect there to be opportunities in early 2026 around both short- and long-term offerings as the yield curve shows signs of a return to normal."

The review revealed that of the approximately 530 unique CD offers listed by CD Valet's 60+ financial institution partners throughout the year, over 57% of those CD offers were for one year or less, demonstrating strong consumer and financial institution preference for short-term commitments. Despite the three FOMC rate cuts in 2025, CD Valet's partner offerings remained competitive, with more than 60% of partner CD offerings greater or equal to 4.00% APY.

Consumer engagement activity echoed this trend. CDs with 6- and 12-month terms received the most interest, with each accounting for 24% of click-through and application activity. Savers increasingly relied on CD Valet's comparison tools, particularly the APY Checkpoint, to evaluate the competitiveness of rates. The APY Checkpoint is a real-time tool that helps consumers instantly see how their CD rate compares against the market, based on the over 40,000 rates in the marketplace from more than 5,000 banks and credit unions nationwide.

Ongoing Uptick in Long-Term Rates

CD Valet data also showed that for the first time in over a year, in December 60-month CDs saw the highest amount of APY increases compared to other standard-term CDs. Of all CD rate increases in December, 15% were for 60-month CDs. The CD terms with the second and third most APY increases were 36- and 24-month CDs, respectively.

"Following the three rate reductions by the FOMC last fall, we are now seeing institutions respond by rewarding savers for longer commitments when it comes to their CDs," says Roske.

CD Valet's intelligence tool revealed average CD APY trends by state. As of 1/05/2026, Utah, Nevada and North Dakota were the three states with the highest average CD yields, based on CDs offers from financial institutions based in those states. To help savers identify the best opportunities in their area, CD Valet launched its Best CD Rates by State Map – an interactive U.S. map that highlights the top CD rates from banks and credit unions by state. Rates are updated automatically via a seamless API connection, ensuring the data remains current and accurate.

Roske continued, "As we head into the new year, we're seeing savers becoming even more vigilant about maximizing their savings. They are realizing that a little bit of research can go a long way, using our tools and real-time data to help them make better decisions that increase their earnings. At the same time, institutions across the country are taking steps to make their attractive offers more visible to gain deposits and new customers."

About CD Valet 

CD Valet is a CD marketplace that features verified CD rates from federally insured banks and credit unions nationwide. With tens of thousands of CD offers tracked across the country, CD Valet gives savers a clear view of top rates and helps them explore higher-yield CD options with reliable returns. With CD Valet, banks and credit unions are empowered to digitally compete with the largest financial institutions while gaining access to full-suite advertising, analytics, and account opening tools to support deposit acquisition. Visit www.cdvalet.com for more information and check out CD Valet's Best CD Rates by State Map to maximize earnings on savings.

SOURCE CD Valet