You may know the American Express brand best for its valuable credit cards. However, Amex has a lot more to offer, including some generous certificates of deposit (CDs). The return rates are high and the buy-in is low—for the bank’s standard CDs, at least.
TL;DR
- American Express offers standard CDs with no minimum deposit and nine term lengths.
- Standard CDs have varying early withdrawal penalties based on term length.
- Business CDs require a $25,000 minimum deposit and are for business cardholders.
- Amex CDs are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
Here’s what you need to know about American Express CD rates.
As of November 10, 2025, these rates are valid but may be altered.
AmEx CD rates and products
American Express offers two types of CDs: standard and business. The bank keeps things simple as there are no specialty CDs such as flex, bump-up, or IRA CDs to choose from.
Each CD type from Amex comes with different term options, minimum opening deposit requirements, and even early withdrawal penalties.
Standard CDs
American Express Standard CDs come in nine different term lengths: 11, 12, 14, 18, 22, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. Because there is no required minimum opening deposit, American Express CDs could be a great option for a CD ladder.
| Minimum opening deposit | $0 |
|---|---|
| Early withdrawal penalty | -Terms of less than 12 months: 90 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount -Terms of 12 to less than 48 months: 270 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount -Terms of 48 to less than 60 months: 365 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount -Terms of 60 months or more: 540 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount |
| Partial withdrawals permitted | No partial principal withdrawals allowed |
| Additional deposits permitted | No |
| Automatic renewal | Yes |
| Renewal grace period | 10 days |
| Minimum opening deposit | |
|---|---|
| $0 | |
| Early withdrawal penalty | |
| -Terms of less than 12 months: 90 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount -Terms of 12 to less than 48 months: 270 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount -Terms of 48 to less than 60 months: 365 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount -Terms of 60 months or more: 540 days’ interest on the withdrawn amount | |
| Partial withdrawals permitted | |
| No partial principal withdrawals allowed | |
| Additional deposits permitted | |
| No | |
| Automatic renewal | |
| Yes | |
| Renewal grace period | |
| 10 days |
Amex standard CD rates
| Term length | APY |
|---|---|
| 11 months | 3.25% |
| 12 months | 3.25% |
| 14 months | 4.00% |
| 18 months | 3.60% |
| 22 months | 3.75% |
| 24 months | 3.60% |
| 36 months | 3.35% |
| 48 months | 3.35% |
| 60 months | 3.50% |
| 11 months | |
|---|---|
| APY | 3.25% |
| 12 months | |
| APY | 3.25% |
| 14 months | |
| APY | 4.00% |
| 18 months | |
| APY | 3.60% |
| 22 months | |
| APY | 3.75% |
| 24 months | |
| APY | 3.60% |
| 36 months | |
| APY | 3.35% |
| 48 months | |
| APY | 3.35% |
| 60 months | |
| APY | 3.50% |
Bank details checked Nov. 10, 2025.
Business CDs
American Express business CDs are only available to holders of an American Express business card. When you open a business CD, the spending capacity on your Amex business card will increase dollar for dollar based on the size of your CD. Amex holds it as a sort of security deposit—similar to the way a secured credit card works.
Business CDs require a substantially higher minimum opening deposit than personal CDs — $25,000, to be exact.
| Minimum opening deposit | $25,000 |
|---|---|
| Early withdrawal penalty | -Terms of 1 year or less: 90 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn -Terms of more than 1 year: 180 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn |
| Additional deposits permitted | No |
| Automatic renewal | Yes |
| Renewal grace period | 10 days |
| Minimum opening deposit | |
|---|---|
| $25,000 | |
| Early withdrawal penalty | |
| -Terms of 1 year or less: 90 days’ interest on the amount withdrawn -For terms exceeding one year: 180 days' interest applies to the withdrawn sum. | |
| Additional deposits permitted | |
| No | |
| Automatic renewal | |
| Yes | |
| Renewal grace period | |
| 10 days |
Amex business CD rates
| Term length | APY |
|---|---|
| 3 months | 0.30% |
| 6 months | 3.25% |
| 12 months | 3.25% |
| 18 months | 3.60% |
| 24 months | 3.60% |
| 36 months | 3.35% |
| 48 months | 3.35% |
| 60 months | 3.50% |
| 3 months | |
|---|---|
| APY | 0.30% |
| 6 months | |
| APY | 3.25% |
| 12 months | |
| APY | 3.25% |
| 18 months | |
| APY | 3.60% |
| 24 months | |
| APY | 3.60% |
| 36 months | |
| APY | 3.35% |
| 48 months | |
| APY | 3.35% |
| 60 months | |
| APY | 3.50% |
Bank details checked Nov. 10, 2025.
American Express is compared to its rivals.
American Express Certificates of Deposit offer a simple, high-yield option. However, depending on the specific term you're seeking, rival financial institutions might present more attractive yields. A comparison of American Express with other widely used choices is presented here.
 American Express |  Discover |  Northern Bank Direct |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 6 months | 6 months |
| N/A | 3.50% | 4.00% |
| 12 months | 12 months | 12 months |
| 3.25% | 4.05% | 3.25% |
| 18 months | 18 months | 18 months |
| 3.60% | 3.70% | 3.25% |
| 24 months | 24 months | 24 months |
| 3.60% | 3.50% | 3.25% |
| 36 months | 36 months | 36 months |
| 3.35% | 3.50% | 3.25% |
| Learn more | Learn more | |
| View offer at MoneyLion | View offer at Northern Bank Direct |
Bank details checked Nov. 10, 2025
Discover more about American Express
Established in 1850, American Express stands as a prominent financial institution in the U.S. While headquartered in New York, the bank functions as an online-only financial institution.
Beyond CDs, it provides choices like checking and high-yield savings accounts, credit cards, personal loans, and business lines of credit. In addition, it manages a travel website where users can reserve flights, rent vehicles, book accommodations, and access numerous other services.
Commonly asked questions
The minimum deposit for American Express CDs is $0.
American Express personal Certificates of Deposit (CDs) do not necessitate a minimum deposit to initiate. For business CDs, an opening deposit of no less than $25,000 is mandatory.
Yes, you can open an American Express CD online.
You can indeed open an American Express CD swiftly through their online platform.
You'll need to fund your American Express CD within 10 days of its approval.
You're required to deposit funds into an American Express CD within two months of your account being approved.
American Express Certificates of Deposit (CDs) are not FDIC insured.
American Express Certificates of Deposit (CDs) are covered by FDIC insurance, with limits of $250,000 per individual depositor for each ownership category.
You can select how you'd like to get paid interest on your American Express CDs.
You have the option to receive interest payments from Your American Express CDs through various methods. You can have monthly deposits into your Amex savings account (or a separate external account), or you can request a check every month, quarter, or year.