Hong Kong fixed deposit and money market funds: Grow your idle cash (Mar 2025)
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Hong Kong fixed deposit and money market funds: Grow your idle cash (Mar 2025)

Updated
20 Mar
2025
published
13 Mar
2025

Endowus offers a variety of low-risk cash management solutions, providing investors with more options to earn returns on their idle funds.

General bank savings and fixed deposit services

Popular bank saving accounts Popular bank time deposit accounts
Earnings 0.375% - 3.4% p.a.* 3.7% - 3.9% p.a.*
Minimum saving sum Varies by bank Varies by bank
Tenor and withdrawal Not applicable, any time 1, 3, 6 months, withdrawal at the end of tenor

Note: Benchmarks for popular bank savings accounts and time deposit accounts (1-, 3-, and 6-month tenors) in USD are based on the top three interest rates offered from the five largest Hong Kong banks by total assets. For savings accounts, banks include HSBC, Standard Chartered, Hang Seng Bank. For time deposits, banks include HSBC, Standard Chartered, and ICBC Asia. Figures are as of 10 Feb 2025.

Overview of fixed and variable rate solutions available on Endowus

Commitment Best yield* after all fees Minimum deposit requirement
Fixed-Rate Savings^ 1 month: 4.02% p.a. US$10,000
3 months: 4.0% p.a. US$10,000
6 months: 3.91% p.a. US$10,000
Money market funds 3.96% p.a.* for HKD
5.75% p.a.* for USD
(Individual money market fund and liquidity fund options on Endowus - as seen in the table below)
No upper limit, with a minimum investment amount of HK$500 / US$100
CashUp - Simple 4.60% to 4.80% p.a.* (Projected yield)# No upper limit, with a minimum investment amount of HK$500 / US$100
CashUp - Plus 4.70% to 4.90% p.a.* (Projected yield)# No upper limit, with a minimum investment amount of HK$500 / US$100

Endowus Fixed-Rate Savings: Unlock superior interest rates of up to 4.02% p.a.^

Endowus launched a new service Fixed-Rate Savings in February 2025, offering clients superior interest rates from leading banks in Hong Kong, applicable for tenors of 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months.

Fixed-Rate Savings aims to provide customers with attractive fixed returns by partnering with trusted banks in Hong Kong, offering industry-leading corporate fixed deposit rates. As of 13 March 2025, Fixed Rate Savings offers an annual interest rate of up to 4.02%^.

Promotional offer: Clients who complete their application and fund transfer by the cut-off time of 1:00 pm on 30 April 2025 will have the 0.10% p.a. advisory fee for their Fixed Rate Savings order fully waived during the promotional period.

^Indicative interest rate as of 13 Mar 2025. Fixed-Rate Savings (FRS) is not an investment product, collective investment scheme, or fixed deposit product. It is not protected by the Deposit Protection Scheme. 

* Cash yields on money market funds and CashUp portfolios are not guaranteed. Data as of 28 Feb 2025.

# Projected yield is calculated based on the latest available weighted average net yields of underlying funds (or also called yield-to-maturity) as disclosed by each fund manager, either in the latest monthly fund factsheets, website or direct communication to fund distributor (as of 28 Feb 2025). Projected yield after all fees are net of fund-level fees after Cashback and Endowus fees. Investors are reminded that this is an investment product and its value may rise, as well as fall. Please refer to our T&C and disclaimer at https://hk.endw.us/legal. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the SFC.

What is a money market fund?

A money market fund is a mutual fund that invests in high-quality, short-term debt instruments and cash equivalents. These investments typically include Treasury bills (T-bills), commercial paper, and certificates of deposit (CDs), which are known for their liquidity and low risk. 

Money market funds are designed to offer investors a relatively low-risk place to invest easily accessible cash while earning a modest return. 

Read more: How to choose between money market funds

Latest market commentary (Mar 2025)

US President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, which took effect on 4 March, along with an additional 10% duty on Chinese goods, bringing the total amount of new tariffs on China to 20%. 

Tariffs on imports could further limit cuts to interest rates in 2025, as they are expected to raise prices for consumers, while retaliatory tariffs and strategic decisions from firms may complicate the economic outlook and interest rate trajectory.

Speaking of surging prices, the 10-year Treasury yield edged higher as tariffs went into effect. The widening difference between the 10- and 2-year notes bears watching. As longer-dated yields are rising faster, the bear steepener can be a sign that inflation is on the rise.

Last month, the Fed officials said they largely believe the progress in lowering inflation will resume this year, and have now put rates on hold as they await data to confirm it. The committee stated that they will continue to monitor the economic outlook, with their goals holding steady with supporting employment and returning inflation to 2%.

The Jan meeting is the first of the eight FOMC meetings in 2025, and the Fed has left interest rates unchanged at 4.25 - 4.50%. The next policy meeting will be held on 19 March, with the futures market currently indicating a 95% probability of the current interest rates being maintained, as seen on CME Group as of 5 Mar, while 40% of traders believe Fed funds rates will sit 25 bps lower after the May meeting.

Cash management solutions on the Endowus platform

Here are some money market, liquidity, and fixed income funds available on the Endowus platform for Hong Kong investors to consider:

For HKD:

For USD:

Fund name / ISIN Gross yield1 Net yield YTD returns (Dec 24)2 2024 returns 2023 returns AUM Product Risk Rating Weighted Average Maturity (days) Portfolio Characteristics as of
GaoTeng WeInvest HKD Money Market Fund
HK0000478872
3.94% 3.60% 0.6% 4.4% 4.2% HK$ 20,060 million 1 52 28 Feb 2025
HSBC Global Money Hong Kong Dollar
HK0000465895
3.96% 3.62% 0.6% 4.1% 3.8% HK$ 14,037 million 1 32 31 Jan 2025
JP Morgan Money Fund - HK$
HK0000055738
3.48% 3.20% 0.6% 4.1% 3.7% HK$ 2,354 million 1 46 31 Jan 2025
GaoTeng WeValue USD Money Market Fund
HK0000584778
4.58% 4.34% 0.8% 5.5% 5.4% US$ 2,962 million 1 54 28 Feb 2025
Abrdn Liquidity Fund USD
LU0049014870
4.61% 4.28% 0.7% 5.1% 4.9% US$ 3,500 million 1 44 31 Jan 2025
Ping An USD Money Market Fund
HK0000720810
5.42% 5.17% 0.8% 5.6% 5.6% US$ 3,992 million 1 48 31 Jan 2025
Amundi Cash USD Fund
LU0568621022
5.75% 5.42% 0.7% 5.4% 5.5% US$ 4,360 million 1 70 28 Feb 2025
HSBC Global Money US Dollar
HK0000465952
4.56% 4.29% 0.7% 5.1% 5.0% US$ 493 million 1 41 31 Jan 2025

Note 1: Gross yield is before deducting fund-level fees and Endowus fee, and before adding back trailer fee rebates. Net yield is after deducting fund-level fees and Endowus fee, and adding back rebates. Source: Endowus Research, respective fund managers.
Note 2: Returns calculated using monthly returns in base currency. Returns are net of fund-level fees, but do not reflect Endowus fee and rebates. Source: Endowus Research, Morningstar.
Note 3: Yields are not equal to the actual return. Not guaranteed returns. Past performance does not indicate future performance.
For latest fund information, please refer to the respective fund’s website:
GaoTeng: https://www.gaotengasset.com/en/productService
HSBC Asset Management: https://www.assetmanagement.hsbc.com.hk/en/individual-investor/fund-centre
Abrdn: https://www.abrdn.com/en-hk/investor/funds/view-all-funds
Ping An: https://asset.pingan.com.hk/en/Products-and-Services
Amundi: https://www.amundi.com.hk/retail/Funds-ETFS/Fund-Net-Asset-Value
JPMorgan: https://am.jpmorgan.com/hk/en/asset-management/per/funds/

What are fixed deposits, and what do the rates mean?

A fixed deposit is an interest-bearing bank account that has a pre-set maturity date, meaning it can only be withdrawn after the predetermined set duration. For instance, if the fixed deposit rate in Hong Kong is stipulated to be 3.40% for a period of 3 months, it means that the deposited cash in the account will earn an interest rate of 3.40% per annum, pro-rata to 3 months’ value.

The advantage of fixed deposits is that savings are protected by the Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board’s Deposit Protection Scheme. Each depositor is protected up to a maximum of HK$ 800,000 per bank (including both principal and interest). 

However, it is important to note that fixed deposits come with a lock-in period. If there is a need for liquidity and you need to withdraw the principal before the maturity date, you will be required to pay a penalty or fee for early withdrawal according to the withdrawal policy and penalty rules.

CashUp portfolios and money market funds: smart and flexible ways to earn more on your cash

Don’t want to lock up your funds, but still want to earn higher returns on your idle cash? Consider the high-quality money market funds available on the Endowus platform, managed by globally renowned fund companies such as HSBC Global Asset Management, JP Morgan Asset Management, and aberdeen Investments. As of 28th February 2025, these funds have achieved returns of nearly 4% to over 5% in the past year.

You can also consider directly selecting the Endowus CashUp portfolios curated by our investment research team. With just one click, you can easily purchase a portfolio of money market funds, making cash investment management simpler and more convenient.

Endowus offers cash management solutions with an annual fee of only 0.10%. Our products are highly competitive compared to similar low-risk investment products on the market. We aim to change the current situation where sales commissions erode client returns.

Make your cash work harder and smarter for you. If you have money set aside for an upcoming expense, you may consider investing to earn higher returns instead of letting it sit idle in your current or savings account. 

To get started with Endowus, click here

Read more:

Disclaimer for Fixed-Rate Savings (FRS)

Fixed-Rate Savings is not an investment product, collective investment scheme, or fixed deposit product. It is not protected by the Deposit Protection Scheme. The rates offered are not due to the pooling of invested funds by Endowus, and Endowus is not offering FRS as a fund, scheme, or portfolio with a pooling element.

Risk Warnings

Investment involves risk. Past performance is not an indicator nor a guarantee of future performance or returns. Projected performance or returns is not guaranteed to materialise. The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up, and you may not get the full amount you invested. 

Rates of exchange may cause the value of investments to go up or down. Individual stock performance does not represent the return of a fund.

General risk warnings relating to collective investment schemes 

Before making an investment decision, you are reminded to refer to the relevant prospectus/ offering document for specific risk considerations and related fees and charges.

Funds are not a bank deposit and not capital guaranteed, and is subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.  

Some of the funds also involve derivatives. Do not invest in them unless you fully understand and are willing to assume the risks associated with them.

Opinions

Any forward-looking statements, prediction, projection or forecast on the economy, stock market, bond market or economic trends of the markets contained in this material are subject to market influences and contingent upon matters outside the control of Endowus HK Limited (“Endowus”) and therefore may not be realised in the future. Further, any opinion or estimate is made on a general basis and subject to change without notice. In presenting the information above, none of Endowus HK Limited, its affiliates, directors, employees, representatives or agents have given any consideration to, nor have made any investigation of the objective, financial situation or particular need of any user, reader, any specific person or group of persons. Therefore, no representation is made as to the completeness and adequacy of the information to make an informed decision. You should carefully consider whether any investment views and products/ services are appropriate in view of your investment experience, objectives, financial resources and relevant circumstances. You may also wish to seek financial advice through a financial advisor or the Endowus platform and independent legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice, as appropriate.

No invitation or solicitation

Nothing contained [in this article] should be construed as a solicitation, an offer to buy or sale, or recommendation, to acquire or dispose of any security, commodity, investment or to engage in any other transaction in any jurisdiction in which such solicitation, offer to buy or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws in such jurisdiction. No information included [on this website/ in this article] is to be construed as investment advice or as a recommendation or a representation about the suitability or appropriateness of any advisory product or service; or an offer to buy or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any security, financial product, or instrument; or to participate in any particular trading strategy. Investors should seek independent financial and tax advice before making any investment decision.

Product Risk Rating: Please note that any product risk rating (the “PRR”) provided by us is an internal rating assigned based on our product risk assessment model, and is for your reference only. The PRR is subject to change from time to time. The PRR does not take into account your individual circumstances, objectives or needs and should not be regarded as advice or recommendation to purchase, hold or sell any fund or make any other investment decisions. Accordingly, you should not solely rely on the PRR in making your investment decision in the relevant Fund.

Complex Products

Some of the funds contained in this article are complex products and investors should exercise caution when investing in these products. Though these products have been authorised by the SFC, authorization does not imply official recommendation. SFC authorization is not a recommendation or endorsement of a product nor does it guarantee the commercial merits of a product or its performance.

This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Securities and Futures Commission or any regulatory authority in Hong Kong.

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