Broker Cash & Deposits
Where to park cash for interest, per currency. This is a FREE guide — NOT a strategy: broker cash rates FLOAT with central banks and promos expire, so there's no track record to backtest. We track these and re-check periodically; always verify the live rate before acting (figures as-of mid-2026). For the securities route (bonds / money-market ETFs), see the Safe Yield strategy.
| Broker | Rates | Type | Protection | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Republic | PLN 6% (promo → 31 Jul 2026) · EUR ~2-3% | Bank deposit | €100k deposit guarantee — the strongest here | EUR-funding only; the PL branch auto-withholds Belka; the standard EUR rate tracks the ECB and can drop the day after a cut. |
| XTB | PLN 2.7% std (5.1% first 90 days) · USD ~3.4% · EUR 2.3% | Broker interest | Investor-compensation scheme (~€22k) — NOT deposit insurance | No threshold, but it's an investment firm, not a bank; the promo drops to standard after 90 days. |
| Interactive Brokers | USD ~3.1% · EUR ~1.5% · GBP ~3.2% | Broker interest | SIPC (US) / Irish ICS 90%, max €20k (EU) | The first ~$10k of cash earns 0%, and the full rate needs account value over $100k. |
| Trading 212 / Lightyear / Revolut | USD ~3.3-3.7% · EUR ~1.2-2.4% | Money-market fund (mostly) | Fund value is an investment — NOT deposit-guaranteed | 'Cash' swept into a money-market fund is an INVESTMENT; a Polish resident self-reports 19% Belka on it. |
| DEGIRO | 0% on every currency | — | — | Pays nothing and charges 6.25% on debit balances — it keeps the carry. |
⚠️ Rates are as-of mid-2026 and FLOAT with the Fed / ECB / NBP / BoE; promos EXPIRE (Trade Republic's 6% ends 31 Jul 2026). We re-check these periodically — verify the live rate on the broker's own page before acting. Public information, not advice.
Prefer the securities route (bonds / money-market ETFs, with a track record)? See the Safe Yield strategy →