CD Review Bank: PNC Bank Insurance: FDIC to $250K (Cert #6384) Last updated: 2026-06-27

PNC Bank CD Review (2026) — Featured CDs and Yield Drag

Quick take: PNC's Featured CDs hit ~3.85% APY on select short terms with a $1,000 minimum and a linked PNC checking account. Standard Fixed Rate CDs pay 0.01-0.05% across longer terms. PNC's regional branch footprint (mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest) is strong, but the yield on anything beyond the 7/11-month Featured terms is well below online competition.

Hero stats · PNC Bank CDs

APY Range

0.01% – ~3.85% (Featured)

FDIC Cert #

6384

Bank Size

6th-largest US bank ($560B assets)

Min Deposit

$1,000 (Featured) / $1,000 (Standard)

EWP

90–365 days interest

As of

2026-06-27

PNC Bank CD rates — full term ladder

Here’s the current PNC Bank CD rate sheet across all standard and promotional terms as of 2026-06-27:

Term	APY
Featured 7-Month	3.85%
Featured 11-Month	3.70%
Featured 13-Month	3.50%
Standard 3-Month	0.03%
Standard 6-Month	0.03%
Standard 1-Year	0.04%
Standard 2-Year	0.04%
Standard 3-Year	0.05%
Standard 4-Year	0.05%
Standard 5-Year	0.05%
Standard 7-Year	0.05%
Standard 10-Year	0.05%

Rates as of 2026-06-27. PNC Bank re-prices based on Fed funds and competitive pressure. Confirm current rates on the bank’s site before opening.

Pros and cons

Pros

~3.85% Featured CD is competitive for a megabank
Strong mid-Atlantic and Southeast branch presence (2,400+ branches)
FDIC-insured (Cert #6384)
Low $1,000 minimum
PNC Virtual Wallet integrates CDs into one dashboard

Cons

Standard CDs at 0.01-0.05% are essentially zero
Featured rate requires linked PNC checking
Auto-renewal defaults to Standard rates
No no-penalty CD option
Long-term CDs (5-10 yr) pay 0.05% — massively trail MYGAs

Why this CD is so much lower than online competitors

PNC operates ~2,400 branches concentrated east of the Mississippi. Branch overhead, regional marketing, and the BBVA US integration costs (acquired 2021) keep deposit costs elevated. The Featured CDs are PNC's customer-acquisition tool; the Standard CDs are what the bank actually wants to pay over the long run.

The branch-overhead math

A megabank branch costs roughly $1–2M per year to operate (real estate, staffing, security, utilities, IT, compliance). Multiply across thousands of branches and the bank’s effective cost of deposits is 2–3% before paying you a dime. An online bank with zero branches can pass nearly that entire spread back to depositors as APY. That’s why Marcus, Ally, Synchrony, and Discover routinely pay 4.00–4.50% while megabanks pay 0.05%.

Better alternatives at higher APY

If branch access isn’t critical for you, these alternatives currently pay materially more on the same FDIC-insured deposit:

Marcus 1-Year CD — ~4.50% with $500 min
Discover 5-Year CD — ~3.85% with $2,500 min
Ally No-Penalty CD — ~3.85% with full liquidity

For a 30+ bank comparison at the 5-year point, see Best 5-Year CD Rates 2026.

When a MYGA beats this CD

A Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA) is the insurance-industry equivalent of a CD: lock a fixed rate for a fixed term, principal-protected. The pricing gap vs. a megabank CD is dramatic.

Math at $250,000 over 5 years:

PNC 5-year Standard CD pays 0.05%. A 5-year MYGA pays ~5.50%. On $250,000:

PNC 5-Year CD @ 0.05%: $250,625 ending balance
5-Year MYGA @ 5.50%: $326,740 ending balance
Difference: $76,115 — in favor of the MYGA

MYGAs also defer tax on interest until withdrawal — CDs are taxed annually as ordinary income whether you touch the interest or not. The trade-off: MYGAs have a fixed surrender schedule (usually with 10%/yr free withdrawal); CDs have shorter penalty periods. For taxable retirement money you don’t plan to touch, the MYGA almost always wins. See CD vs MYGA Comparison.

FAQ — PNC Bank CDs

What is PNC's current CD rate?

PNC Featured CDs pay ~3.85% APY on 7-month, ~3.70% on 11-month, ~3.50% on 13-month. Standard CDs pay 0.01-0.05% on most other terms.

Do I need a PNC checking account for the Featured rate?

Yes. PNC Featured CDs require a linked PNC consumer checking account (Virtual Wallet or standard checking).

Is the PNC CD FDIC-insured?

Yes. PNC Bank, N.A. is FDIC-insured (Cert #6384) to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category.

What's the minimum deposit?

$1,000 for both Featured and Standard Fixed Rate CDs.

What's the early withdrawal penalty?

Varies: 90 days interest for CDs under 12 months; 180 days for 12-23 months; 365 days for 24+ month CDs.

Does PNC offer a no-penalty CD?

No. For penalty-free CD-style products, Ally and Marcus offer No-Penalty CDs at competitive rates.

Is a 5-year MYGA better than PNC's 5-year CD?

Mathematically yes — ~5.50% vs ~0.05% is a $76K gap on $250K over 5 years. MYGAs also defer tax. Trade-off is a longer surrender schedule; most include 10%/yr free withdrawal.

Before you lock in — see what a MYGA pays at the same term

Hans Goldstein, independent licensed insurance producer.

If you’re looking at a PNC Bank CD, you should see what an A-rated MYGA pays for the same lock-up. The yield gap is often 100–500 basis points — on a $250K deposit over 5 years that’s real money.

Drop your info and you’ll get a written side-by-side: this CD vs. the top 3 MYGAs at the same term, with end-of-term math at your actual deposit amount. No pitch, no follow-up calls unless you ask.

Hans Goldstein · 213-414-2808 · NPN 20602398, independent licensed insurance producer appointed with multiple A-rated carriers

By submitting, you agree to receive calls and texts from Hans Goldstein. Msg/data rates apply. Reply STOP to opt out. Privacy Policy.

Disclosure

This review reflects publicly posted bank rates and approximate APYs as of 2026-06-27. CD rates change frequently — confirm current rates directly with PNC Bank before opening an account. This article is general information for educational purposes; it is not a personalized recommendation, solicitation, or offer of any specific banking or insurance product. PNC Bank is FDIC-insured to the limits stated; coverage is per depositor, per ownership category. Hans Goldstein is an independent licensed insurance producer (NPN 20602398) appointed with multiple A-rated annuity carriers; he is NOT a bank employee, broker-dealer, or registered representative, and is not paid by PNC Bank for this review. No compensation has been received from PNC Bank in connection with this content. MYGA comparisons reference rates from A-rated carriers as of the date stated; carrier rates change monthly. Always read the actual CD disclosure or annuity contract before purchasing.