15. August 2024

Good interest, hardly any risk – how to invest fixed deposits abroad

Interest rates on current and fixed-term deposit accounts at banks in Germany have risen steadily in recent months and appear to have reached their peak. In order to benefit from this rise in interest rates, however, it is worth looking beyond the country’s borders: there are often even better conditions there. If you proceed cleverly, you can effectively protect yourself from risks and benefit from the higher interest rates without having to speak a foreign language.
 
geldanlage im ausland muenzglas vor sonnenuntergang

Bei der Geldanlage im Ausland können sich Sparer gute Festgeldzinsen sichern. Bild: getty, Farizun Amrod / EyeEm

 
With the high inflation, the creeping devaluation of savings has increased again in recent years. Fortunately, interest rates on current and fixed-term deposit accounts have also increased. This means that the devaluation of money can be at least partially mitigated. Banks in Germany offer interest rates of just under 4 percent.
 
However, a look across national borders shows that in other countries in the European Union, savers from Germany receive even better interest rates on overnight and fixed-term deposits. Banks in other EU countries often offer better interest rates, particularly for fixed-term deposits with a term of 12 months or more. The top interest rate for three-year fixed-term deposits at foreign banks is currently more than 0.80 percentage points higher than at German banks. Depending on the amount invested, this can quickly make a difference of several hundred euros per year in interest income. The following table shows this as an example for an investment amount of 10,000 euros for one, two and three years:
 
BankCountry (credit rating)DurationRateInterest income
TFBankSweden (AAA)1 Jahr4,00 %400,00 €
CreditplusGermany (AAA)1 Jahr3,85 %385,00 €
Izola BankMalta (A-)2 Jahre3,80 %774,44 €
CreditplusGermany (AAA)2 Jahre3,65 %552,47 €
SistemaItaly (BBB)3 Jahre4,22 %1.320,00 €
CreditplusGermany (AAA)3 Jahre3,40 %1.055,07 €

Why Interest Rates Are Higher Abroad

German savers are often hesitant to invest their money in foreign banks. However, this caution is often unwarranted. Foreign financial institutions frequently offer attractive interest rates to compete for German investors. Additionally, other economic factors also play a role in contributing to these higher rates.

 The comparatively high interest rates are not necessarily associated with increased risks for savers. However, there are certain specifics to consider regarding foreign investments when filing taxes in Germany. In a separate article, we have summarized which taxes apply to overnight and fixed-term deposits abroad and how to avoid double taxation.
 

Always Invest at the Best Rate – with the DC INVEST Investment Account:

Do you want the ability to switch to the highest interest rate overnight deposit at any time? Or would you like to reinvest your fixed-term deposit at the best rate as easily as possible at the end of its term? With the DC INVEST investment account, you can manage your overnight and fixed-term deposit accounts with numerous European banks through a single access point.

Your Benefits with the DC INVEST Investment Account at a Glance:

 ✓ A single password for all your overnight and fixed-term deposits made through the DC Invest AG investment account.
No re-identification necessary when switching to another overnight deposit through the DC Invest AG investment account.
German customer service and free expert advice, no matter where you invest money through DC Invest AG.

Why Fixed-Term Deposits Are Particularly Safe

The attractiveness of fixed-term deposit accounts is not only based on the good predictability ensured by fixed terms and interest rates. Such traditional investment forms, which also include readily available overnight deposits, are considered particularly safe. This is because banks in the European Union are legally required to secure private savings deposits. Savings deposits from investors in Germany are protected by deposit insurance at each financial institution in the EU up to an amount of €100,000 per customer.
 
To ensure peace of mind even in the event of a bank insolvency, savers should also consider the creditworthiness of the country where the credit institution is located. If a bank becomes insolvent, a national deposit guarantee fund initially compensates private investors. In some cases, the amount covered by this fund significantly exceeds the legal minimum threshold. However, if the fund is also unable to cover the losses incurred, the respective state is obligated to reimburse the funds.
 

These Country Ratings Offer the Highest Security

 When comparing offers for overnight or fixed-term deposits, it is important to know in which country the bank is located to assess the creditworthiness of that EU member state. The ratings provided by agencies such as Standard & Poor’s (S&P) serve as a helpful criterion.

 Countries like Germany, Sweden, or the Netherlands are currently rated AAA by S&P and therefore offer the greatest security for savers. However, investment countries like Latvia or Malta also have above-average credit ratings of A+ and A-. Often, banks in these countries provide a good combination of attractive interest rates alongside solid national creditworthiness.

 Important to Note: To protect against insecure investments, all recommended overnight and fixed-term deposit accounts come from banks located in countries rated at least BB- by S&P.

The Role Exchange Rates Can Play in Investments

 Even within the European Union, there are countries that do not use the euro as their national currency. When savers invest their money there in national currency overnight or fixed-term deposit accounts, actual returns can be significantly influenced by fluctuating exchange rates in foreign exchange markets. If a currency loses value during the term of a fixed-term deposit, the amount paid out—including interest—could be lower than the original euro amount deposited after conversion.

 To protect savers from such currency risks, all recommended overnight and fixed-term investments are always made in euros. No conversion into local currency takes place. This applies even to banks from countries like Sweden, where the euro is not the official currency. Therefore, investors need not worry about exchange rate fluctuations.

How Savers Can Find the Right Term

To avoid leaving larger sums uninvested in a current account, an overnight deposit account with a foreign bank can still provide a good alternative where investors can access their savings at any time. However, savers achieve better returns when they entrust their money to banks for a longer period.

To find the right term for fixed-term investments that suits their personal circumstances, savers should consider how long they can do without this part of their savings. If they need only part of it in the foreseeable future, splitting it into several fixed-term deposits with varying terms is often the best solution (laddering strategy). This way, investors can secure good long-term interest rates with part of their savings while keeping the rest more flexible for upcoming purchases by investing it for a shorter term.