Girokonto mit Guthabenzinsen

Introduction

BBVA is a major Spanish bank that offers, among other products, a "current account with credit interest" in Germany — a standard current account that also pays interest on the everyday, freely available balance. Unlike a pure instant-access savings account, this product combines payment services and interest in a single account, aimed at anyone switching their salary account who also wants to earn interest on their balance.

Interest rate

According to the product database, BBVA initially pays 3.50% p.a. on balances held in this account. This rate applies to deposits up to €200,000 and is limited to the first six months after account opening. Importantly, after these six months the rate drops, according to the database, to 0% p.a. — meaning the account then earns no credit interest at all, regardless of balance. The interest should therefore clearly be understood as a time-limited new-customer promotion, not a permanent rate offer.

BBVA's linked application page could not be accessed at the time of the check (the server refused the request), so the database figures could not be additionally verified against a live page. Anyone interested should therefore confirm the exact promotional terms directly with BBVA before opening an account.

Terms and fees

No verified information is available for this product regarding account-keeping fees, a minimum deposit, or any conditions attached to the interest payment (such as a regular salary credit, as is common with current accounts at other banks). As this is a full current account rather than a pure instant-access account, card payments and transfers are presumably handled through the account itself — a separate reference account is typically not required for a current account, though this could not be confirmed for this specific product.

Who is it for?

Since this is formally a current account rather than a pure savings product, the offer is primarily suited to people who are already planning to switch accounts and want to take the time-limited interest bonus as an added incentive. Anyone looking purely for a long-lasting interest-bearing place to park money is probably better served by a classic instant-access savings account with an ongoing rate, since interest on this account disappears entirely after the introductory period.

Pros and cons

• Attractive introductory rate of 3.50% p.a. for 6 months
• Rate applies to balances up to €200,000
• Combines a current account and credit interest in one product

• Rate drops to 0% p.a. after 6 months
• No verified information on fees or account conditions
• Bank's product page was inaccessible at the time of the check

Verdict

BBVA's current account with credit interest scores points in the first six months with a competitive rate of 3.50% p.a. up to €200,000. Anyone hoping to keep earning interest beyond the promotional period, however, will be disappointed: the rate drops, according to the database, to 0% p.a. afterwards. The account is therefore best suited to new customers primarily looking for a new current account who welcome the time-limited interest bonus as a nice side benefit, rather than anyone expecting a consistently high return on their balance long-term.