SC First Bank offers up to 4% interest rate for new customers with Hi account

SC First Bank announced Sunday that it is running a promotional event offering new customers an annual interest rate of up to 4 percent on its "SC First Hi account," a parking account product.

Customers who qualify for all available rate benefits — including a special rate of 3.4 percentage points per year regardless of deposit balance — can receive a maximum annual rate of 4.0 percent (before tax).

The event runs through the end of the year, but the special rate expires on Jan. 31, 2027 for all participants regardless of when they sign up, meaning customers who enroll earlier will receive the preferential rate for a longer period.

For example, a customer who joined on Sept. 14, the event's start date, will receive the 3.4-percentage-point special rate for approximately four months through Jan. 31, 2027.

The event targets first-time customers, defined as either new customers whose information was registered with SC First Bank within the past 31 days, or existing customers who have not held a Korean won or foreign currency deposit or savings account with the bank in the past year.

The offer covers not only brand-new customers but also those who have been inactive for a certain period.

The Hi account carries a base annual interest rate of 0.1 percent. Preferential rates for first-time customers range from 1.2 to 2.0 percentage points depending on deposit balance tier — though during the special rate event period, a flat 3.4 percentage points applies regardless of balance. Additional preferential rates include 0.1 percentage point for customers who sign up through a partner channel (limited to mobile banking or branch sign-ups during the event period) and 0.2 percentage point for customers who consent to marketing.

The product also waives a range of fees, including internet and mobile banking transfer fees and ATM withdrawal fees.

"We hope this event will allow more customers to experience the differentiated benefits of the Hi account," said Jeong Jae-won, head of SC First Bank's secured lending and deposit products division. "We will continue working to offer a variety of products and benefits that meet our customers' financial needs."

SC First Bank is also running its "PB Start Program" through Dec. 31. Customers who enroll as private banking clients during the event period can receive professional private banking services along with benefits worth up to 180,000 won ($132).