Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in Banking.

A certificate of deposit (CD) is a time deposit, a financial product commonly sold by banks, thrift institutions, and credit unions. CDs differ from savings accounts in that the CD has a specific, fixed term (often one, three, or six months, or one to five years) and usually, a fixed interest rate. The bank expects CD to be held until maturity, at which time they can be withdrawn and interest paid.

Like savings accounts, CDs are insured "money in the bank" (in the US up to $250,000) and thus, up to the local insured deposit limit, virtually risk free. In the US, CDs are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for banks and by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) for credit unions.

In exchange for the customer depositing the money for an agreed term, institutions usually offer higher interest rates than they do on accounts that customers can withdraw from on demand—though this may not be the case in an inverted yield curve situation. Fixed rates are common, but some institutions offer CDs with various forms of variable rates. For example, in mid-2004, interest rates were expected to rise—and many banks and credit unions began to offer CDs with a "bump-up" feature. These allow for a single readjustment of the interest rate, at a time of the consumer's choosing, during the term of the CD. Sometimes, financial institutions introduce CDs indexed to the stock market, bond market, or other indices.

Some features of CDs are:

CDs typically require a minimum deposit, and may offer higher rates for larger deposits. The best rates are generally offered on "Jumbo CDs" with minimum deposits of $100,000. Jumbo CDs are commonly bought by large institutional investors, such as banks and pension funds, that are interested in low-risk and stable investment options. Jumbo CDs are also known as negotiable certificates of deposits and come in bearer form. These work like conventional certificate of deposits that lock in the principal amount for a set timeframe and are payable upon maturity.

The consumer who opens a CD may receive a paper certificate, but it is now common for a CD to consist simply of a book entry and an item shown in the consumer's periodic bank statements. That is, there is often no "certificate" as such. Consumers who want a hard copy that verifies their CD purchase may request a paper statement from the bank, or print out their own from the financial institution's online banking service.

INFO: Full form for CD is Currency Deposit in Banking category
CD also has other full forms in other categories mentioned below.

INFO: Full form for CD is Charter of Demands in Banking category
CD also has other full forms in other categories mentioned below.

INFO: Full form for CD is Caution Deposit in Banking category
CD also has other full forms in other categories mentioned below.

INFO: Full form for CD is Cash Deposit in Banking category
CD also has other full forms in other categories mentioned below.

INFO: Full form for CD is Convertible Debentures in Banking category
CD also has other full forms in other categories mentioned below.