You've probably walked past a Chase branch and seen the blue logo a thousand times. Maybe you even have a checking account there already. When you're looking to park some cash and actually earn something on it, checking the cd rates at chase bank is usually the first thing people do.
But honestly? The numbers might surprise you, and not always in the way you'd hope.
As of January 2026, the world of interest rates is a bit of a rollercoaster. While some online banks are shouting about high yields, Chase plays a different game. They aren't trying to be the highest payer in the country. They’re the "convenience and relationship" bank. If you just open a random CD without a checking account, you’re looking at a standard rate that is basically pennies—often as low as 0.01% APY.
That’s not a typo. It’s a rounding error.
The Secret Sauce: Chase Relationship Rates
If you want the "good" rates (and I use that term loosely compared to some fintechs), you have to be in the club. Chase offers what they call Relationship Rates. To get these, you need to link your CD to a qualifying Chase personal checking account.
Suddenly, that 0.01% can jump significantly. For instance, right now in early 2026, their "featured terms" are where the action is. We’re talking about specific windows like a 3-month CD at 4.25% APY or a 10-month CD around 3.15% APY for relationship customers.
Why the weird months?
Banks like Chase love "off-tenor" terms. Instead of a flat 12 months, they’ll give you a deal on 7 or 10 months. They do this to manage their own internal math, but for you, it means you have to be careful. If you pick 12 months because it "feels right," you might get 1.75% while the guy picking 10 months is getting way more.
Always look for the Featured tag. It’s the only way to make the math work in your favor.
Real Talk on the $1,000 Minimum
You can't just walk in with a $50 bill and open a CD. The entry fee is **$1,000**.
If you have $100,000 or more, you might think you’d get a massive bump. Kinda, but not really. Chase has tiers, but in the current 2026 market, the difference between having $10,000 and $100,000 in a CD is often negligible in terms of the actual percentage.
The tiers usually look like this:
- $1,000 – $9,999
- $10,000 – $99,999
- $100,000+ (Jumbo territory)
In many cases lately, the rate is identical across all three. The bank is basically saying, "We want your deposit, but we aren't going to pay a premium just because you're flush."
What Happens if You Need Your Money Early?
Life happens. Your car breaks down, or you find a better investment. If you pull your money out of a Chase CD before the timer hits zero, they’re going to take a bite out of your earnings.
The penalties are pretty standard for "Big Banking," but they still sting. If your CD term is less than 6 months, you’re looking at a penalty of 90 days of interest. If you’re in for 6 months to 23 months, it’s 180 days of interest. For those long-haul CDs over two years? They’ll clip you for a full 365 days of interest.
And yes, if you haven’t earned enough interest to cover the penalty, they will take it out of your principal. You could literally end up with less money than you started with.
Comparing Chase to the Rest of the Pack
Look, I love the convenience of the Chase app as much as anyone. It’s clean. It works. But if you compare cd rates at chase bank to someone like Morgan Stanley Private Bank or a credit union, the gap is wide.
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Right now, while Chase's best featured rate is hovering around 4.25% for a very short term, you can find 1-year CDs at online-only institutions hitting 4.10% to 4.50% consistently.
So, why stay?
Trust. Security. Physical branches. There is something to be said for being able to walk into a building and talk to a human named Dave if something goes wrong. If you already have your mortgage, credit cards, and checking at Chase, the ease of seeing it all in one dashboard is a "mental tax" many people are willing to pay.
The 10-Day Grace Period (Don't Miss This)
When your CD matures, Chase doesn't just send you a check and a "thank you" note. They usually roll it over into a new CD automatically.
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You have exactly 10 days from the maturity date to move that money or change the term. If you miss that window, you’re locked back in at whatever the current rate is. And guess what? If your "Special Featured Rate" expired, they might roll you into a "Standard Rate" of 0.01%.
I've seen it happen. It’s brutal. Set a calendar alert for 9 days after maturity so you have time to act.
Is a Chase CD Right for You?
If you’re a "set it and forget it" person who already uses Chase for everything, the relationship rates are competitive enough that you aren't getting totally fleeced. It’s solid, FDIC-insured ground.
However, if you are chasing every last basis point to maximize a house down payment, you’re better off looking at a high-yield savings account or an online-only CD provider.
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Next Steps for Your Money:
- Check your checking: Verify you have a linked Chase checking account to qualify for Relationship Rates.
- Hunt for "Featured": Ignore the round numbers (6, 12, 24 months) and look for the specific months Chase is promoting this week.
- Ladder it: If you have $5,000, don't put it all in one 12-month CD. Put $2,500 in a 3-month and $2,500 in a 6-month. This gives you "liquidity events" so you aren't trapped if rates go up or you need cash.
- Watch the clock: Mark your maturity date in your phone the second you open the account.