Earning 3% on idle cash? Sweep-in FDs may offer a smarter fix
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.A savings bank account is the default parking spot for emergency funds. It is liquid, familiar and easy to access.But large idle balances kept “for safety” often earn just 2–4% interest — not enough to beat inflation.
Over time, that quietly erodes purchasing power.To address this, banks offer sweep-in facilities, also known as auto-sweep or sweep FDs. Many financial advisors recommend parking part of an emergency corpus here to earn better returns without compromising liquidity.A sweep-in (or sweep-out) feature links your savings or current account to a fixed deposit (FD).When your account balance crosses a preset limit, excess funds are automatically swept into an FD.
If your balance falls below a threshold, the bank breaks the FD partially or fully and credits the funds back.In effect, you earn FD-level interest on surplus cash while retaining withdrawal flexibility.Different banks structure it differently.For instance, Federal Bank offers it as a ‘Sweep Plus’ current account. Joy PV, the bank’s EVP & country head – retail liability & fee products, explained that under this product, a pre-defined threshold limit is set for the account balance, and any amount above this is automatically swept into a linked term deposit.According to him, the facility is particularly useful for customers with high-value and frequent transactions, as it allows them to earn interest on surplus funds that would otherwise remain non-interest-bearing in a regular current account, while retaining liquidity.Federal Bank’s minimum sweep threshold is ₹3 lakh.
Any balance above this is swept into a 181-day deposit in multiples of ₹25,000, currently offering around 6% interest. When funds are required, the bank
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