The UnitPlus Overnight Deposit Index for Businesses

German SMEs lose nearly €2 billion annually due to withheld interest payments

In collaboration with Barkow Consulting – a leading financial research and advisory firm – UnitPlus Business has developed the first representative Corporate Cash Index in Germany.

The UnitPlus Corporate Cash Index provides a first-of-its-kind, data-driven overview of the average interest rates paid on corporate cash holdings over the past 20 years. It enables companies to better evaluate and benchmark current interest rate offers.

Business interest rates have been falling since September 2024

1.20%

Current average interest rate on corporate overnight deposit accounts

As the European Central Bank (ECB) has cut interest rates multiple times – currently down to 2.00% – banks have continued to pass on less and less of these rates to their business clients.

Corporate cash interest rates at their lowest level since July 2023

UnitPlus Overnight Deposit Index for Businesses

Overnight deposits, Germany, interest rate, businesses, by month, in % p.a.

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Source: BC Data, Barkow Consulting

Long-term trend

UnitPlus Overnight Deposit Index for Businesses

Overnight deposits vs €STR, Germany, interest rate, businesses & individuals, by month, in % p.a.

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Source: BC Data, Barkow Consulting

Banks pass on only about half of possible interest earnings to businesses

A long-term view of the data shows that banks have only partially passed on rising interest rates to corporate clients since 2022. According to the UnitPlus Corporate Cash Index, German banks currently pass on just over 50% of the potential interest income to business customers. The rest remains with the banks as margin.

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The UnitPlus Overnight Deposit Index for Businesses

Here you can download the complete study with additional information.

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Want to learn more about the methodology of the index? Then read our blog post!

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Press Information

Are you a journalist and want to report on the Overnight Deposit Index?

Then feel free to contact us at presse@unitplus.eu.

Always optimally invested with UnitPlus Business

Does your business want to be optimally invested through every interest rate environment and thus become independent of overnight deposit offers? Then we have developed the right solution for your business with UnitPlus Business. Achieve an annual interest yield of 2.60, which is significantly higher than the average interest rate on overnight deposit accounts.

Deposits and withdrawals are fully flexible at any time, and as special assets, the company’s capital is fully protected.

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As of July 2025, before costs of 0.25%–0.4%