Is a $10,000 long-term CD account worth opening for 2026?
If you were contemplating putting $10,000 into a long-term certificate of deposit (CD) at the start of 2024, many would have recommended doing so. And that was equally true at this point in 2025, when rates here were a bit lower but still competitive.
Now, however, in January 2026, the benefits of such an account are less clear. The Federal Reserve, after all, issued three interest rate cuts at the end of 2025, causing rates on interest-earning savings accounts to decline again. And in today's economic climate, in which inflation remains sticky and unemployment is a growing concern, giving up access to a five-figure sum of your money for an extended period doesn't seem like the best idea now.
At the same time, there are viable reasons why a $10,000 long-term CD account can still be worth opening now, at the start of 2026. While this won't be the right choice for each saver, for others, it could be the difference between growing their money and protecting their principal versus seeing it decline alongside the corrosive impacts of still-problematic inflation.
So, is a $10,000 long-term CD account really worth opening for 2026? Below, we'll detail three reasons why it may still be.
Start by seeing how much interest you could be earning with a top CD account here.
Is a $10,000 long-term CD account worth opening for 2026?
Here are three reasons why a $10,000 long-term CD account could still play a vital role in your larger savings strategy:
The interest earnings can still be significant
Just over $600. That's what you can earn by depositing $10,000 into an 18-month CD with a rate of 4.00% right now. That's $300 a year, approximately, or almost $1 a day earned simply by opening an account of this size and length right now. And, if you shop around for rates online, you may be able to find one that's even higher.
Or, if you take the time to calculate your interest-earning potential with different terms or rates, you may be able to earn even more. And while $600 may not seem like a lot, it's exponentially more than you'd otherwise earn by leaving this money in a traditional savings account, which has a rate comfortably under 0.50% right now.
Get started with a high-rate CD account online today.
It could be the last time to secure a rate this high for the foreseeable future
It wasn't that long ago when rates on these accounts were barely noticeable. At the start of the decade, for example, rates here were many percentage points lower. And the trend downward has already started again, as some savers were able to lock in rates as high as 6% in recent years.
Those options have since vanished, but if savers act now, they can take advantage of this timely opportunity while competitive rates are still plentiful. With the right term, they can even benefit from these rates for years to come. But they'll need to take action promptly as this could be the last time to secure CD rates this high for the foreseeable future.
Your alternative savings options aren't as attractive
High-yield savings accounts have rates similar to the best CDs … but those rates are variable and subject to continuing to decline amid a cooling interest rate climate. And traditional savings accounts, as noted, have rates so low that you're essentially losing money by keeping any decent amount of money stored in one.
Short-term CD accounts, meanwhile, have competitive rates currently, but by the time you start earning any real interest with those, they will have matured, as short-term CD terms end in 12 months or less. With these alternative savings options to compare against, the benefits of a $10,000 long-term CD this January become even more pronounced.
The bottom line
With the interest-earning potential here still substantial, the understanding that this could be the last time to secure a rate this high for the foreseeable future and alternative savings vehicles less than ideal right now, a $10,000 long-term CD account opened this year could be the right choice for savers. And it could pay off both in 2026 and in 2027, and potentially 2028 and 2029, too. Just be sure of your ability to part with the money for the full CD term, as an early withdrawal fee on account of this size and length could wind up being costly.
