updated: May 22, 2025
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As inflation continues unabated, interest rates are also climbing. While this exerts economic pressure by making credit more expensive, this also presents a silver lining to diligent savers. With higher interest rates being offered by banks on savings accounts, saving is now more rewarding than ever.
One such example is the DBS Multiplier Account, which lets you earn an interest of up to 4.1% p.a. on your savings. The DBS Multiplier Account is also a great way to take advantage of bonus interest for couples who have linked their personal Multiplier accounts with their joint account. More on that later.
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The DBS Multiplier Account is a savings account that rewards you with bonus interest when you credit your salary and transact in 4 other categories. They are: credit card or PayLah! retail spend, home loan instalments, insurance and investments.
How much bonus interest you earn is defined by:
The total eligible transactions you make per month.
The current balance of your account.
How many categories you have transacted in.
The higher your account balance, the higher your interest rate, even if you spend less per month. For example, if your total eligible monthly spend is between S$500-15,000, you'll get 1.8% p.a. with an account balance of S$50,000. This balloons to 2.4% p.a. once you have an account balance of S$100,000. To qualify for these enhanced interest rates, you'll have to transact in 3 categories or more, in addition to crediting your salary. Crediting your salary and transacting in 2 categories will earn you a slightly lower interest rate of 2.1% p.a. assuming the same monthly spend of S$500-15,000.
Learn the benefits of having a joint bank account and how sharing financial oversight can help make budgeting easier.
Crediting your salary to your DBS/POSB deposit or Multiplier account are both accepted ways to earn bonus interest with your DBS Multiplier Account. Since August 2023, DBS has made it easier for people to credit their salaries for DBS Multiplier benefits. Note the following eligibility requirements for salary crediting to ensure that you'll be raking in those bonus interest rates.
Your salary must be credited via:
GIRO
FAST
PayNow
Transaction description must read as follows:
SALARY
PAYROLL
COMMISSION
BONUS
DBS/POSB bank encourages their customers to contact their respective Human Resource colleagues to set up seamless salary crediting.
Joint or Joint-all |
Joint-alternate |
|
Perform banking transactions independently |
No, consent of both parties is needed |
Yes |
Joint accounts are a type of bank savings account which is shared by two or more people. Though we usually think of joint accounts as shared accounts for couples, joint accounts can also be parent-child joint accounts, or siblings sharing one account.
There are many advantages to having a joint account. For one, it makes it more convenient to manage family expenses and gives both parties financial oversight. Couples can use joint accounts to save for dream vacations or a home down payment, while children of elderly parents can help them manage their finances.
Generally, joint accounts come in two configurations.
Joint-all account
Joint-all accounts, sometimes also called joint accounts, require all transactions to be performed with the instruction of both account holders. This means that account holders cannot perform transactions individually.
Joint-alternate account
On the other hand, joint-alternate accounts allow for either account holder to make transactions or even close the joint account without the need for the other account holder's approval. Do note that some joint accounts offered by banks only provide for the opening of joint-alternate accounts. One such example is OCBC's 360 Account.
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Here’s the secret sauce: when two account holders make deposits or credit salaries, and carry out any eligible transaction, both will earn bonus interest based on the combined value of all eligible transactions.
Consider the following example:
Mr. Seah |
Mrs. Seah |
|
Salary credited |
S$4,000 |
S$4,500 |
Credit card/PayLah! retail spend |
S$2,000 |
S$1,200 |
Home loan instalment |
S$800 |
S$700 |
Insurance |
S$0 |
S$0 |
Investments |
S$500 |
S$0 |
Total |
S$7,300 |
S$6,400 |
Mr. Seah’s total eligible transaction amounts to S$7,300, while his wife’s total sits at S$6,400.
Let’s compare how much interest they would earn—separately, and with a joint account.
Mr. Seah (Salary crediting + 3 categories) |
Mrs. Seah (Salary crediting + 2 categories) |
|
Interest earned on personal account |
2.4% p.a. on S$7,300 |
2.1% p.a. on S$6,400 |
Interest earned on joint account |
2.4% on S$13,700 (S$7,300 + S$6,400) |
2.1% on S$13,700 (S$7,300 + S$6,400) |
As you can see, both Mr. and Mrs. Seah earned interest on the combined total of their transactions, instead of just their own, allowing both to grow their individual Multiplier accounts quicker. This also works even if only one party is crediting their income, which lets single-income households benefit from some extra interest.
Low credit history or less than ideal credit score? Make a joint application for a loan and secure better loan terms.
Is the DBS Multiplier Account a Savings or Current account?
The DBS Multiplier account is marketed as a high-interest, multiple currency deposit account. You can earn up to 4.1% p.a. interest on your SGD savings and up to 4% p.a. on your USD savings. You'll need a balance of S$100,000 and have eligible transactions in more than 3 categories to earn maximum interest on your SGD, whereas you'll need up to $1 million USD to enjoy that 4% p.a.
How to open a DBS Multiplier joint account
Earning higher bonus interest rates together is easy. First, joint account holders will have to:
Step 1: Open personal DBS Multiplier accounts
Both account holders will need their individual DBS Multiplier accounts. DBS Autosave and DBS Multi Currency Account holders can request for their account to be converted to a Multiplier account. Meanwhile, new DBS/POSB members are encouraged to register for SingPass, download the digibank app and apply for their Multiplier account via SingPass for instant approval. (Do note that new account openings are instant if applied for on digibank from 7am-10:30pm on Mondays to Sundays—and on the last day of the month between 7am-8pm. Otherwise, 2 working days will be required.)
Step 2: Apply for your joint account
Once both of you are in possession of a DBS Multiplier Account, apply for a joint account that suits your needs. Choose between the My Account, My Account with Child or an eMySavings account. You can apply for your new account entirely online, without visiting the bank.
Step 3: Credit your salaries into your joint account
Arrange for your salary to be credited to your newly opened joint account. As mentioned earlier, you only need one party to credit their salary, although combining both salaries will help you qualify for enhanced bonus interest rates.
Step 4: Credit your dividends into joint account
If you have any active investments that pay dividends, be sure to credit them into your joint account too. Doing so will increase your total eligible transactions for even more bonus interest. DBS classifies dividends as income credit. Central Depository Pte Ltd (CDP), DBS Vickers Securities, DBS Online Equity Trading (OET), DBS Invest-Saver, DBS Unit Trusts and DBS Online Funds Investing dividends are eligible for earnings.
Step 5: Top up your DBS Multiplier Account
Don’t forget higher interest rates are yours to earn once your account balance crosses the S$50,000 threshold, so do consider topping up your DBS Multiplier Account once you have some spare cash. This will enable you to benefit from favourable interest rates pronto.
What is the minimum balance for the DBS Multiplier Account?
DBS Multiplier Account holders are required to maintain a minimum average daily balance of S$3,000. A service charge of S$5 per month applies if your account dips below the minimum daily balance. This charge is waived for people 29 years old and below, as well as new DBS/POSB members who applied for their Multiplier accounts online.
What is the purpose of the DBS Multiplier Account?
Often transact in more than just SGD? Want to be rewarded with bonus interest when you spend with DBS/POSB? In that case, consider making the DBS Multiplier Account your go-to savings account for accruing interest. Get bonus interest when you credit your income and make credit card/PayLah! retail, home loan instalment, insurance and investments transactions totalling S$500 or more.
Travel to popular destinations like Japan, Australia and Thailand often? The DBS Multiplier Account also gives you access to 12 foreign currencies including the JPY, AUD, THB, CAD, CNH, EUR, HKD, NZD, NOK, GBP and SEK.
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