Safest Banks in the US
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When it comes to storing your money, you want the safest option. Keep reading to learn all about the safest banks in the U.S.
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When it comes to your money, the importance of safety and security can't be overstated.
And banks face a variety of threats today: hackers, ransomware, data leaks, and even bank failure.
So, where's the safest bank to keep your money?
Find out which banks are the safest in the U.S. with this guide. Plus, learn what to look for in a bank and how to choose the right one for you.
Chase Total Checking® - $200 Bonus
- New Chase checking customers enjoy a $200 bonus when you open a Chase Total Checking® account and set up direct deposit
- Access to 16,000 Chase ATMs and more than 4,700 branches
- Chase Mobile® app - Manage your accounts, deposit checks, transfer money and more -- all from your device.
- Open your account online now
- Available online nationwide except in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. For branch locations, visit locator.chase.com.
- Chase Overdraft Assist℠: $0 overdraft fee when you overdraw your account $50 or less*
*We won't charge an overdraft fee if you are overdrawn $50 or less at the end of the business day. Chase may pay, for a $34 fee, overdraft transactions at our discretion based on your account history, deposits and transaction amount. If you've enrolled in Debit Card Coverage, everyday debit card purchases like groceries, may be approved at our discretion when you don't have enough money in your account.
Citi Priority Account - Up to $1,500 Cash Bonus
- Earn up to $1,500 cash bonus when you open a new account with required activities
- Open a new eligible checking account in the Citi Priority Account during the offer period 1/5/22-7/17/22
- Within 20 days of opening, deposit $50,000 in New-To Citibank funds between the new checking and savings accounts
- Maintain a minimum balance of $50,000 in the checking account for an additional 60 consecutive calendar days from the 21st day
- After all required activities are met, the cash bonus will be deposited to your account within 90 calendar days
Easy Checking - $200 or $400 Bonus
- Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App.
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $2,500 to $4,999.99 to earn $200
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $5,000 or more to earn $400
How to Know if a Bank Is Safe?
Every bank is going to tell you it's safe. After all, their business depends on having your trust, whether they've earned it or not.
But with a little research, you'll be able to judge for yourself.
Here are some things to look for to help you determine whether they're a good place to keep your money.
- Size: Choosing a big bank will almost always be safer than choosing a smaller one. Bigger banks have more resources, more sources of income, larger reserves, and more options to recover from a loss.
Most big banks are also older and have more experience in dealing with various challenges. And in the case of a financial crisis, since they serve more customers, they're probably more likely to receive government aid than smaller banks.
- FDIC insurance: A quick indicator that you're dealing with a legitimate bank. FDIC insurance protects the money you've deposited if something happens to the bank. For credit unions, this role is filled by NCUA Insurance, rather than FDIC.
- Reviews: While it's not a guarantee of quality, you might take some time to see what other customers are saying about the bank before joining. Check out the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot or similar sites to gauge the reception of the bank.
- Customer service: Look for banks that are easy to get ahold of at any time of day. Your finances don't operate on a schedule, and they shouldn't make you wait to deal with emergencies. Open lines of communication are a good sign that they're trying to provide good service and not just wring you for every dollar with minimum effort.
- The Safest Banks List from Global Finance: Global Finance has produced an annual list of the safest banks in the world for the past 30 years. Sadly, not many of them are from the U.S., and those that are don't exactly top the list.
- Digital security features: The safest banks will employ digital security features like multi-factor authentication, data encryption, timed logout, and fraud notifications. Other valuable security measures that banks can take include:
- Debit card blocking: This feature lets you remotely disable your debit card in case of fraudulent activity.
- Guarantee against unauthorized access: The bank agrees to reimburse you for any funds lost to fraudulent activity in your account.
- EMV chips: The little gold or silver chip you see on the face of most cards. This is safer than swiping, and your bank should offer them on their debit and credit cards.
- Single-use card numbers: When shopping online, a single-use card number can be the difference between having your info leaked in a future hack or not.
Now that you know what to look for in a safe bank, let's take a look at the safest banks in the U.S.
Safest Banks in the U.S.
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Below, review the safest banks in the U.S. Compare them on the metrics we mentioned above, and explore the security features they employ to keep your money safe.
1. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo, founded nearly 100 years ago in 1929, is a multinational bank based in the U.S., with headquarters in San Francisco, CA, and Manhattan, NY.
They operate over 4,900 branches and 12,000 ATMs, and as of 2021 that had $1.9 trillion in assets.
Wells Fargo is one of the "big four" banks in the U.S., which in 2018 held 45% of all consumer deposits.
FDIC Insured: Yes
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Alerts | Wells Fargo will send you transaction alerts to help you spot suspicious activity on your accounts. Includes purchases online, by phone, and by mail, ATM withdrawals or cash advances, and purchases over amounts you set. |
| Control Tower | Turn on and off cards and digital card numbers, view recurring payments, control third-party access to financial statements, all in one place. |
| Travel Plans | Notify your bank before traveling so they can monitor for suspicious activity. |
| Turn Your Card On/Off | In case your card is lost or stolen, you can turn off your card, and turn it on again if you recover it. The bank may still allow preset transactions. |
| Account Access Manager (Small Business) | Small business owners can add or revoke access to their business banking accounts. |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. |
| Biometric Sign On and Voice Verification | These help the bank confirm you are who you say you are. |
2. JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan Chase, which many people think of simply as Chase, is a bank with a very long history in business, founded over 220 years ago in September 1799.
To date, they have over 4,700 branches, 16,000 ATMs, and $2.61 trillion in assets as of 2021.
Chase is another of the banking big four in the U.S.
FDIC Insured: Yes
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Alerts | Chase will send you transaction alerts to help you spot suspicious activity on your accounts. If they find you cannot be reached, they may put a temporary hold on your account. |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. They will employ extra precautions for unrecognized devices. |
| Controlled Access | Chase will require passwords whenever providing your banking information to third-party businesses. |
| Fraud Prevention Resources | Chase has support teams ready to help you in case you think you've been the victim of fraud. |
| Data Encryption | 128-bit encryption protects your banking data. |
Chase Total Checking® - $200 Bonus
- New Chase checking customers enjoy a $200 bonus when you open a Chase Total Checking® account and set up direct deposit
- Access to 16,000 Chase ATMs and more than 4,700 branches
- Chase Mobile® app - Manage your accounts, deposit checks, transfer money and more -- all from your device.
- Open your account online now
- Available online nationwide except in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. For branch locations, visit locator.chase.com.
- Chase Overdraft Assist℠: $0 overdraft fee when you overdraw your account $50 or less*
*We won't charge an overdraft fee if you are overdrawn $50 or less at the end of the business day. Chase may pay, for a $34 fee, overdraft transactions at our discretion based on your account history, deposits and transaction amount. If you've enrolled in Debit Card Coverage, everyday debit card purchases like groceries, may be approved at our discretion when you don't have enough money in your account.
Chase Business Complete Banking℠ - $300 Bonus
- Earn $300 when you open a new Chase Business Complete Checking account. For new Chase business checking customers with qualifying activities.
- Multiple ways to waive the Monthly Service Fee, including maintaining a minimum daily balance or purchases on your Chase Ink® Business credit card.
- Built-in card acceptance. Accept card payments anytime, anywhere in the U.S., and get transparent pricing with Chase QuickAccept℠
- Same-day deposits with QuickAccept℠. Free up the cash you need to keep your business moving forward with same-day deposits at no additional cost.
- Alerts to help you stay on top of your account activity.
- Easy account management through Chase Business Online and the Chase Mobile® app.
- Unlimited electronic deposits, ACH and Chase QuickDeposit℠.
- Convenient access to 16,000 ATMs and more than 4,700 branches.
Chase Secure Banking℠ - $100 Bonus
- New Chase checking customers enjoy $100 when you open a Chase Secure Banking℠ account with qualifying activities.
- No minimum deposit to open.
- No paper checks to track and no Chase fees on money orders or cashier's checks.
- Pay bills, cash checks and send money with Zelle® all for a $4.95 monthly service fee.
- Use the Chase debit card to help you spend only the money you have available, without worrying about overdraft fees.
- Bank from virtually anywhere with access to 16,000 Chase ATMs, more than 4,700 Chase branches, the Chase Mobile® app and Chase Online℠.
- Secure Banking customers told us they save an average of $50 a month on fees after opening their account.
- No need to worry about unauthorized card transactions when reported promptly with Zero Liability Protection.
3. U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank, also referred to as U.S. Bancorp, is large bank based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and currently stands as the fifth-largest banking institution in the U.S. They have over 2,000 branches and operate over 4,800 ATMs across the country, with $558.886 billion in assets as of 2021.
FDIC Insured: Yes
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Identity Authentication | U.S. Bank offers a range of methods for authenticating your identity, including one-time passcodes, biometrics, and visual patterns. |
| Fraud Prevention Resources | U.S. Bank knows that customers educated on the many ways they might be defrauded are less likely to fall victim to it. They provide a variety of useful resources to help customers practice safe banking habits. |
| Report Suspicious Activity | Customers can report suspicious activity on their accounts by phone or email. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
Easy Checking - $200 or $400 Bonus
- Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App.
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $2,500 to $4,999.99 to earn $200
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $5,000 or more to earn $400
Gold Checking - $200 or $400 Bonus
- Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App.
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $2,500 to $4,999.99 to earn $200
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $5,000 or more to earn $400
Platinum Checking - $200 or $400 Bonus
- Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App.
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $2,500 to $4,999.99 to earn $200
- Complete two or more direct deposits totaling $5,000 or more to earn $400
4. PNC Bank
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a fairly large U.S. bank headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, operates in 27 states across the country. Like many of the banks listed here, PNC has quite a long history, dating back to 1852 when it was founded.
PNC has over 2,600 branches, maintains over 9,500 ATMs, and has $560 billion in assets.
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Identity Authentication | PNC offers a range of methods for authenticating your identity, including two-factor authentication and security questions. |
| Fraud Prevention Resources | PNC Bank provide a variety of useful educational resources to help customers practice safe banking habits. |
| Report Suspicious Activity | Customers can report suspicious activity on their accounts by phone or email. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
5. Citibank
Citibank, a CreditDonkey partner, is the consumer-facing side of the multinational investment bank and financial services corporation, Citigroup, which is another of the big four banks in the U.S.
Citibank is relatively new compared to some of the other banks on this list, only forming in 1998 after a merger between Citicorp and Travelers Group.
Citibank is based in Manhattan, NY, and has over 700 branches in the U.S., with more abroad, and in 2021, Citigroup had $2.314 trillion in assets.
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Alerts | Citibank will send you transaction alerts to help you spot suspicious activity on your accounts. |
| Liability Protection | Customers aren't liable for unauthorized transactions on their accounts. |
| Turn Your Card On/Off | In case your card is lost or stolen, you can turn off your card, and turn it on again if you recover it. |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
Citi Priority Account - Up to $1,500 Cash Bonus
- Earn up to $1,500 cash bonus when you open a new account with required activities
- Open a new eligible checking account in the Citi Priority Account during the offer period 1/5/22-7/17/22
- Within 20 days of opening, deposit $50,000 in New-To Citibank funds between the new checking and savings accounts
- Maintain a minimum balance of $50,000 in the checking account for an additional 60 consecutive calendar days from the 21st day
- After all required activities are met, the cash bonus will be deposited to your account within 90 calendar days
6. Capital One
Capital One is a newer bank that has grown immensely in the short time it's been around (it was founded in 1994). It's based in Richmond, VA, and in 2016, it came in fifth behind American Express, Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup as largest issuers of credit cards.
Capital One operates 322 branches and 70,000+ Capital One, Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs across the U.S., and had $381,295 billion in assets as of 2021.
FDIC Insured: Yes
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Alerts | Capital One will send you transaction alerts to help you spot suspicious activity on your accounts. You can set up instant purchase alerts to be notified whenever money is spent. |
| Account Monitoring | Capital One will automatically monitor your account for suspicious activity. |
| Turn Your Card On/Off | In case it's lost or stolen, you can lock your card. |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
| Virtual Cards | Capital One customers can set up virtual cards for online shopping to avoid using their real card numbers. |
7. M&T Bank Corporation
Though M&T Bank Corporation is on the smaller end of the banks on this list, with only $155.1 billion in assets as of 2021. However, it's had an impressive track record since its founding over 150 years ago in 1856.
In every quarter since 1976, this NY-based bank has been profitable, and was one of only two U.S. banks in the S&P 500 Index that didn't lower its dividend during the 2007-08 financial crisis.
Operating primarily in eastern states, M&T has over 700 branches.
FDIC Insured: Yes
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Alerts | M&T will send you transaction alerts to help you spot suspicious activity on your accounts. |
| Account Monitoring | M&T will automatically monitor your account for suspicious activity. |
| Security Questions | Customers can set up personalized security questions to protect access to their accounts. |
| Data Encryption | M&T employs 256-bit encryption to prevent unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
| Report Suspicious Activity | Customers can report suspicious activity on their accounts by phone. |
8. AgriBank
As a member of the U.S. Farm Credit System, AgriBank offers wholesale lending to local farm credit associations across 15 states.
It was formed after the merger between Farm Credit Bank of Saint Louis and Farm Credit Bank of Saint Paul in 1992.
They had over $142 billion in assets in 2021, and AgriBank was ranked number 35 on the list of safest banks from Global Finance in 2021.
FDIC Insured: No. Members of the FCS are not insured by the FDIC.
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Biometric Login | Through facial recognition, you can prevent unwanted access to your account. |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
9. CoBank
CoBank is an agricultural credit bank and a member of the U.S. Farm Credit System, and is based in Greenwood Village, Colorado.
Founded in 1989, this bank largely serves agricultural and farm-related businesses, cooperatives, and rural public utilities. They had $170 billion in assets as of 2021.
CoBank was ranked number 44 on the list of safest banks from Global Finance in 2021.
FDIC Insured: No. Members of the FCS are not insured by the FDIC.
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. They also have security questions. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
| Positive Pay | Helps prevent the use of altered or counterfeit checks for those who receive them. |
| Educational Resources | CoBank provide a variety of useful educational resources to help customers practice safe banking habits. |
| Report Unauthorized Transactions | Customers are able to report any unauthorized transactions by phone. |
| Fraud Wise | This monthly audio show helps customers learn how to avoid fraud. |
10. AgFirst
AgFirst is another agriculturally focused bank, formed by the merger of the Farm Credit Bank of Baltimore and the Farm Credit Bank of Columbia in 1995.
It's a part of the U.S. Farm Credit System and is based in Columbia, South Carolina. They had $36.9 billion in assets in 2021, and AgFirst was ranked number 46 on the list of safest banks from Global Finance in 2021.
FDIC Insured: No. Members of the FCS are not insured by the FDIC.
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Two-Factor Authentication | Prevents unwanted login to your accounts. They also have security questions. |
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
| Security Training | AgFirst team members are provided with security awareness training. |
11. Farm Credit Bank of Texas
Farm Credit Bank of Texas is the fourth member of the U.S. Farm Credit System, providing wholesale lending and business services in states like Texas, Alabama, and New Mexico.
As of 2021, they had $33.1 billion in assets, and Farm Credit Bank of Texas was ranked number 47 on the list of safest banks from Global Finance in 2021.
FDIC Insured: No. Members of the FCS are not insured by the FDIC.
| Security Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Data Encryption | This prevents unwanted third parties from getting access to your information. |
| Report Unauthorized Transactions | Customers are able to report any unauthorized transactions by email. |
Bottom Line
Finding the right bank for you may seem like a challenging task, but armed with the right information, it doesn't have to be.
Depending on your banking needs, one or more of the banks on this list may be right for you. As some of the safest banks in the U.S., they'll take good care of your money while it's in their custody.
If you need to find a bank that isn't mentioned here, you can always refer back to the list of safest banks from Global Finance,[2] as mentioned towards the top of the article.
References
- ^ FDIC. Crisis and Response: An FDIC History, 2008–2013, Retrieved 1/5/2022
- ^ Global Finance. World's Safest Banks 2021
Jeremy Harshman is a protector of art and writing at CreditDonkey, a bank comparison and reviews website. Write to Jeremy Harshman at jeremy.harshman@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.
This content is not provided by Citi. Any opinions expressed are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Citi.
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