Rising Interest Rates: How to Grow Your Money Faster

Rising interest rates are not benefiting all savers equally, according to reporting by De Telegraaf on June 9, 2026. While central bank benchmarks have climbed, a significant gap has emerged between the rates banks charge for loans and the rates they pay to depositors, leaving many savers with stagnant returns.

Why are some savers not seeing higher returns?

The disparity in returns stems from the lag in interest rate transmission. Commercial banks typically raise interest rates on loans and mortgages quickly following central bank hikes. However, they often delay increasing the rates on standard savings accounts.

This delay allows banks to expand their net interest margin, which is the difference between the interest income they earn from loans and the interest they pay to depositors. By keeping savings rates low while loan rates rise, banks increase their short-term profitability.

De Telegraaf reports that this dynamic means a saver’s financial gain depends heavily on the specific institution they use. Large, established banks often move more slowly on savings rates than smaller or digital-first competitors.

How can savers increase their growth?

The reporting indicates that savers can achieve higher growth by moving away from traditional, low-interest savings accounts. One primary method is shifting funds to neobanks or smaller financial institutions that offer more competitive rates to attract new deposits.

Another option involves using term deposits, where money is locked for a specific period in exchange for a guaranteed, higher interest rate. These fixed-rate accounts protect savers from future rate drops and typically offer a premium over flexible savings accounts.

Diversifying across different types of interest-bearing accounts allows savers to capture higher yields that traditional “big bank” accounts often omit.

What is the business risk for banks?

While maintaining low savings rates boosts immediate margins, it creates a risk of deposit flight. This occurs when customers move their capital to competitors offering better returns, reducing the bank’s liquidity and increasing its cost of funding.

The current environment puts pressure on traditional banks to balance profit maximization with customer retention. If the gap between loan and deposit rates becomes too wide, the resulting outflow of deposits can force banks to raise rates more aggressively to stabilize their balance sheets.

This cycle shifts the power toward the consumer, provided the saver is willing to move their assets to a more competitive institution.