Savings Account Yield 2025: 6.17% Return vs Other Options
Savings accounts yielded only 6.17% in 2024. With Selic at 12.25%, discover if it's worth keeping money in savings or switching investments.
Savings accounts remain the most popular investment among Brazilians, but yielded only 6.17% in 2024. With Selic at 12.25% at the beginning of 2025, many investors question whether it’s worth keeping money in savings.
To make the right decision, it’s essential to understand exactly how yield calculations work and compare with other options available in the market.
How savings account yields work
Current remuneration rule
Savings accounts follow a simple and fixed rule since 2012. The yield varies according to the Selic rate:
- Selic above 8.5%: savings yield 0.5% per month + TR (Reference Rate)
- Selic equal to or below 8.5%: savings yield 70% of Selic + TR
Since Selic is at 12.25% at the beginning of 2025, savings accounts yield 0.5% per month plus TR.
Target Selic and impact on savings
The Reference Rate (TR) has been zero since September 2017. In practice, this means savings accounts yield only the 0.5% monthly.
Example: R$ 10,000 in savings in January 2025 → R$ 50 yield in the first month
The yield is always credited on the deposit anniversary. Withdrawals before this date make you lose all remuneration for the period.
Yield calculation for 2025
Calculation formula
Savings calculation follows this monthly formula:
Final Value = Initial Value × (1 + 0.005)^months
For more complex calculations with monthly contributions, use our savings calculator which considers all scenarios.
Monthly practical example
Let’s calculate the yield on R$ 5,000 invested in January 2025:
| Month | Initial Balance | 0.5% Yield | Final Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | R$ 5,000.00 | R$ 25.00 | R$ 5,025.00 |
| February | R$ 5,025.00 | R$ 25.13 | R$ 5,050.13 |
| March | R$ 5,050.13 | R$ 25.25 | R$ 5,075.38 |
The compound interest effect makes the yield grow slightly each month.
Annual simulation
For a R$ 10,000 investment maintained throughout 2025:
- Monthly yield: 0.5%
- Annual yield: approximately 6.17%
- Final value: R$ 10,617.00
- Total gain: R$ 617.00
Important: This yield is exempt from Income Tax and there are no administrative fees.
Comparison with other investments
CDB
Bank Deposit Certificates offer superior profitability:
- 100% CDI CDB: yields about 12% per year (before IR)
- After IR discount: approximately 9.6% per year
- Advantage over savings: 3.4 percentage points
Tesouro Direto
Tesouro Selic is a conservative alternative:
- Profitability: follows the Selic rate (12.25% currently)
- After IR and fees: approximately 9.8% per year
- Daily liquidity without yield loss
Fixed income funds
DI funds offer professional management:
- Average profitability: 90% to 95% of CDI
- Expected yield: 10.8% to 11.4% per year (before IR)
- Management fee: 0.5% to 2% per year
| Investment | Gross Yield | After IR/Fees | Advantage vs Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings | 6.17% | 6.17% | - |
| 100% CDI CDB | 12.00% | 9.60% | +3.43% |
| Tesouro Selic | 12.25% | 9.80% | +3.63% |
| DI Fund | 11.00% | 8.30% | +2.13% |
Advantages and disadvantages
Savings advantages
- Total IR exemption for any term
- FGC guarantee up to R$ 250,000 per bank
- Immediate liquidity for emergencies
- Total simplicity in investment
Savings disadvantages
- Low profitability compared to other investments
- Loss of yield on early withdrawals
- Doesn’t keep up with inflation in unfavorable scenarios
When it’s worth investing in savings
For emergency reserves
Savings are suitable for a small part of emergency reserves:
- Values you might need at any time
- When simplicity is more important than yield
- For those with low knowledge of investments
Extremely conservative profile
Investors who prioritize absolute security might consider savings:
- Fear of any tax complexity
- Need for instant access to funds
- Small amounts (up to R$ 5,000)
More advantageous alternatives
For most cases, consider:
- CDB with daily liquidity: higher profitability maintaining practicality
- Tesouro Selic: federal government security with better yield
- Remunerated account: some institutions offer superior yields
Use our savings calculator to simulate different scenarios and compare with other investment options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does R$ 1,000 yield in savings in 2025?
R$ 1,000 in savings will yield approximately R$ 61.70 in one year, considering the 0.5% monthly rate. The final value will be R$ 1,061.70.
Do savings yield every day?
No. Savings yield only on the deposit anniversary. If you deposit on the 15th, the yield will be credited every 15th of following months. Withdrawals before the anniversary make you lose all yield for the period.
Can I lose money in savings?
There’s no risk of losing the invested amount in savings. It’s guaranteed by FGC up to R$ 250,000 per institution. The only “risk” is the yield not keeping up with inflation, causing loss of purchasing power.
Is CDB or savings better?
CDB is more advantageous for most cases. A 100% CDI CDB yields about 9.6% per year after IR, while savings yield 6.17%. The difference of 3.4 percentage points compensates for the Income Tax discount.
How to calculate savings yield with monthly contributions?
For monthly contributions, each deposit has its own anniversary. A contribution of R$ 500 every month for one year will result in approximately R$ 6,185, considering each deposit will yield according to its time invested.
Are savings good for retirement?
For retirement, savings are not the best option. With yield of only 6.17% per year, it will hardly beat inflation in the long term. Tesouro IPCA+, long-term CDBs, or investment funds are more suitable alternatives.
Can I withdraw from savings at any time?
Yes, savings have immediate liquidity. However, withdrawals made before the deposit anniversary make you lose all remuneration for the period. Therefore, it’s important to plan withdrawals to not harm profitability.