Bank deposit rate rises to 5.05% in Dec

January 19, 2026 (MLN): The return on bank deposits has increased by 57 basis points to 5.05% in December 2025 compared to the deposit rate of 4.48% last month, according to the latest official data.

On a yearly basis, the weighted average rate paid for deposits by the banking sector has decreased by 926bps compared to the return of 14.31% last year.

Meanwhile, the lending rate for all scheduled banks stood at 11.32%, down 40bps compared to November. While it fell 262bps compared to the same month of last year.

The real deposit rate, which was deeply negative at -5.16% in December 2024, has climbed to 1.52% in December 2025, and slightly increasing from 1.09% in November 2025.

This transition from negative to positive real returns indicates a restoration of saver confidence, as bank deposits now preserve purchasing power rather than erode it.

Similarly, the real lending rate has surged from 1.3% a year earlier to 7.79% in December 2025, lower than 8.44% in November 2025.

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