Bank Certificate of Deposit (CD)
شهادة الادخار البنكية
A bank certificate of deposit is a savings product in which you deposit money with a bank for a fixed term in exchange for a stated interest rate, usually higher than an ordinary savings account. In Egypt, high-yield bank CDs are a popular alternative to stock-market and fund investing, and comparing their net yield to fund returns is a common decision for Egyptian savers.
Example
You deposit a sum for a fixed term at a declared rate. The bank owes you that rate plus your principal at maturity, and breaking the certificate early typically costs part of the return earned so far.
Why it matters
A certificate is the most common savings alternative to a fund in Egypt, and the structural difference matters: with a certificate you are a creditor of the bank, with a fund you are a part-owner of a portfolio.
A common mistake
Reading a guaranteed rate as a guaranteed gain. The guarantee is denominated in pounds; if prices rise faster than the rate over the term, the money grows nominally and shrinks in purchasing power.
See it in action