Trade Republic markets itself as a place to invest and stash cash at the same time, but the interest rate on that idle cash is not fixed — it moves with ECB policy, and the number you see today may not be the number you get in six months. This guide breaks down what to check before you park savings there, and how Trade Republic stacks up against other regulated European brokers for cash and interest income in 2026.
- The trade republic interest rate on uninvested cash is variable, not fixed — verify the live 2026 figure in-app before moving in.
- EU deposit protection covers up to €100,000 per bank per depositor, a baseline every cash-focused broker should meet.
- Scalable Capital, DEGIRO, and XTB also pay interest on cash balances — compare live rates, not landing-page promises.
- Skip any broker advertising a fixed high rate with no stated review date; teaser rates for new cash usually expire within months.
- InvestBeacon compares 20+ regulated European brokers on fee structure and cash-yield terms across 14 markets.
Why this matters
Most people who ask about the trade republic interest rate are not day traders. They are holding cash between purchases, waiting for a dip, or simply parking an emergency fund somewhere that pays more than a checking account. That's a reasonable use of a broker account — but it only works if the rate you're getting today is still competitive next quarter.
Brokers change cash-interest terms without much fanfare, usually tracking the ECB deposit facility rate up or down. Comparing 20+ regulated brokers across 14 European markets shows the same pattern everywhere: the headline rate on a landing page and the rate applied to your actual balance in 2026 are not always the same number. Read the fine print before you assume the number is locked in.
Who this is for
This guide is for the investor sitting on uninvested cash inside a brokerage account — someone who wants that cash to earn something instead of sitting flat, without opening a separate savings account at a traditional bank. If you're deciding whether to leave a lump sum in Trade Republic, move it to a competing broker, or split it across providers to stay inside deposit protection limits, this is the comparison you need before you commit.
It's not for active traders chasing execution speed or options access — this is strictly about parking cash and earning interest income safely in 2026.
What to look for in a broker for cash savings and interest income
How the interest rate is set
Check whether the rate is pegged to a benchmark (like the ECB deposit facility rate) or set unilaterally by the broker. Pegged rates are more predictable and adjust automatically; broker-set rates can be cut with a single announcement and no advance notice.
Deposit protection structure
The EU-wide deposit guarantee scheme protects up to €100,000 per bank per depositor. Some brokers hold client cash with a single partner bank; others spread it across a network of banks to extend protection on larger balances. Know which structure you're getting before you deposit six figures.
Tiered vs. flat interest
Some platforms pay the advertised rate only up to a cap (say, the first €50,000) and a lower or zero rate above it. If you're parking a large sum, the blended effective rate can be meaningfully lower than the headline number.
Payout frequency and access
Interest paid monthly and credited automatically is easier to track than interest accrued but paid quarterly or on withdrawal. Also check whether withdrawing cash interrupts interest accrual for that period.
Tax handling
Interest income is taxable in most European jurisdictions, and brokers differ on whether they withhold tax automatically or leave it to you to declare. A broker that issues a clean annual tax statement saves you work every filing season.
Regulatory home and licensing
Who actually regulates the entity holding your cash matters more than marketing copy. Trade Republic operates under German BaFin oversight; know the equivalent for any broker you're comparing it against.
Top picks for cash savings and interest income
Trade Republic — the incumbent. Regulated by BaFin, cash held via partner banks under the EU deposit guarantee framework, and the app surfaces the current interest rate directly on the cash tab. The rate is variable and has moved with ECB policy before, so it's not a set-and-forget number in 2026. Verdict: Consider — good for convenience and integration with an existing brokerage account, but check the live rate before assuming it matches what you saw last quarter.
Scalable Capital — the German alternative. Also BaFin-regulated, also pays interest on uninvested cash, and frequently gets compared directly against Trade Republic by investors deciding between the two. Terms and tiering differ from Trade Republic's, so don't assume parity without checking both apps side by side. Verdict: Consider as a direct comparison point before committing a large balance to either platform.
DEGIRO — the trading-first option. DEGIRO is regulated by the Dutch AFM and built primarily around low-cost trading execution rather than cash yield; interest handling on idle balances is not its core selling point. If cash interest is your priority, treat this as secondary. Verdict: Skip for pure interest-income purposes, fine if trading fees matter more to you.
XTB — the multi-market player. Regulated in its home jurisdiction with coverage across multiple European currencies, XTB has offered interest on selected cash balances in the past, though terms vary by currency and account type. Confirm current terms for your specific currency before transferring funds. Verdict: Consider, but verify the exact terms apply to your account setup first.
eToro — the trading-app comparison. eToro is built around social and copy trading rather than cash-interest products, and idle-cash yield has historically not been a headline feature there. If your goal is interest income specifically, this isn't the platform built for it. Verdict: Skip for cash-parking; better suited to active trading use cases.
Compare cash-yield terms across brokers
See fee structures and interest terms for 20+ regulated European brokers.
What to avoid
- Teaser rates with no expiry stated. A high headline rate that doesn't list a review date usually gets cut within a few months of you depositing cash — read the terms page, not just the homepage banner.
- Assuming money market funds count as cash. Some brokers push you into a money market fund product and call the yield "interest." That's an investment with fluctuating value, not protected cash, and it doesn't sit under the same deposit guarantee.
- Ignoring FX conversion fees on funding. If you're topping up in a non-EUR currency, a conversion fee can quietly eat more than a year of interest on a modest balance — check the FX spread before transferring.
Verdict comparison
| Broker | Interest on cash | Deposit protection | Regulator | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Republic | Yes, variable | EU scheme via partner banks | BaFin (Germany) | Consider |
| Scalable Capital | Yes, variable | EU scheme | BaFin (Germany) | Consider |
| DEGIRO | Limited, not core feature | Varies by structure | AFM (Netherlands) | Skip for cash yield |
| XTB | Yes, currency-dependent | EU scheme | Home-market regulator | Consider |
| eToro | Not a core feature | N/A for idle cash | CySEC / FCA | Skip for cash yield |
Every rate in this table moves with monetary policy through 2026 — treat the table as a starting shortlist, not a locked-in comparison.
FAQ
What is the current trade republic interest rate?
Trade Republic's interest rate on uninvested cash is variable and tracks broader monetary policy, so the figure changes over time. Check the cash tab in the app for the live 2026 rate rather than relying on older articles or ads.
Is Trade Republic's cash interest guaranteed?
No, the rate is not fixed and can be adjusted by the broker as market conditions change. Only the deposit itself is protected under the EU deposit guarantee scheme up to €100,000 per bank per depositor, not the rate.
Is Trade Republic better than Scalable Capital for cash savings?
Both are BaFin-regulated and both pay interest on uninvested cash, so the better choice depends on the current rate and tiering each platform offers when you check. Compare the live terms on both apps before moving a large balance.
How much cash is protected if a broker's partner bank fails?
The EU deposit guarantee scheme protects up to €100,000 per bank per depositor under Directive 2014/49/EU. If a broker spreads cash across multiple partner banks, larger balances can be protected in aggregate.
Do I pay tax on Trade Republic interest income?
Interest income from broker cash accounts is generally taxable in most European jurisdictions, though withholding practices differ by country and platform. Check whether your broker issues an annual tax statement or leaves reporting to you.
Does DEGIRO pay interest on cash balances?
DEGIRO is built primarily around low-cost trading execution and interest on idle cash is not a core feature of the platform. If cash yield is your priority, other regulated brokers are a better fit.
Can I split cash across multiple brokers to stay under deposit protection limits?
Yes, spreading cash across separate regulated brokers or partner banks is a common way to keep each balance under the €100,000 EU protection threshold. This adds administrative overhead but reduces concentration risk.
One last thing
The number that actually matters isn't the rate on the day you open the account — it's whether the broker reviews and republishes that rate on a predictable schedule. A platform that quietly changes cash-interest terms with no notice period is a bigger risk to your 2026 income plan than a slightly lower but stable rate. Read the terms page, not the app's push notification.
InvestBeacon's broker comparison tracks fee structure and cash-yield terms across 20+ regulated European platforms and 14 markets, so you're not left cross-referencing five separate apps to find the current trade republic interest rate against its competitors.