Big banks hike deposit interest rates | Business

Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Large banks are starting to
join the deposit interest rate hike race along with small- and
medium-sized banks due to rising capital demand pressure after a long time
staying out of the game.

Early this month, Agribank adjusted interest rates for long-term deposits.

Accordingly, customers who deposit money at the bank for 12 months to 24
months will enjoy a rate of 5.6% per year, up 0.1 percentage points from last
month.

Similarly, BIDV this month also announced a new interest rate
change with an increase of 0.1 percentage point to 5.6% per year for deposits
from 12 months to 36 months.

At Vietcombank, the online deposit interest rate also added 0.1 percentage points
per year compared to over-the-counter deposits.

Many small- and medium-sized banks earlier this year increased their rates
by 0.3-0.6 percentage points.

Before the pandemic, the highest interest rate for 12-month savings was 7% per
year. Now, many banks are keeping it at 6.7-6.9%, whereas some have lifted it
to more than 7%. As for the interest rate for short-term deposits of less than
six months, banks are applying the ceiling rate of 4% for all terms.

SCB is currently applying the highest rates in the banking system on both
over-the-counter and online channels. In particular, the 12-month savings rate
at the bank’s over-the-counter channel is currently 7.3%. Meanwhile, if
depositing online, depositors at SCB are given an additional 0.15-0.3
percentage points, raising the maximum interest rate to 7.55% per year.

Kienlongbank offers a rate of 7.2% on a 24-month term, and 7% per year on
an 18-month term, 6.95% per year on a 15-month term, and 6.5% per year on a
12-month term.

NamABank is listing its over-the-counter savings rates at 6.5% per annum on a
12-month term and 6.7% per annum on terms from 18 to 23 months, but it is
offering an additional interest rate of 0.7 percentage points if customers
deposit online.

Accordingly, via the online savings channel, customers enjoy rates of 7.2%
per annum on a 12-month term and 7.4% per annum on terms of above 16 months.

This is the highest interest rate level that NamABank applies to deposits of
individual customers, and the second-highest interest rate in the market, after
SCB.

Similarly, the savings interest rates over the counter of PVcomBank are just
6.3% per annum on a 12-month term and 6.65% per annum on terms of 15 months or
more, but via online channels, the bank is willing to pay rates of 6.7% per
annum on a 12-month term and 7.25% per annum on terms from 18 months or more.

VietABank currently lists its online savings rates at 6.95% per annum on
12-month terms and 7.2% per annum on 15 months or more. Meanwhile, for
over-the-counter deposits, the rates are 6.6% per annum and 6.9% per annum.

Many other banks, such as BaoVietBank, VietCapitalBank, CBBank, VietBank and
LienVietPostBank, are also listing the rate at 7% per year.

Banking expert Nguyen Tri Hieu told Vietnam
News that to attract idle money, many banks have increased
deposit interest rates significantly over the last year, adding that savings
interest rates were on the rise and likely to go up further in the coming
months.

“Savings interest rates in the remaining months of the year will rise due to a
higher capital demand and inflationary pressure as well as a fiercer competition
from other investment channels such as real estate and securities to attract
idle capital flows,” he said.

Saigon Securities Incorporation’s research division forecast deposit interest
rate might be adjusted by a further 1-2% this year./.