Treasury bills in the US
Treasury bills are short-term loans to the US government, from 4 to 52 weeks. You buy at a discount and receive face value at maturity. Rates below are the high investment rate from the latest official auctions published by TreasuryDirect.
Comparison
| Product | Rate / return | Cost | Conditions | Promo end | Protection | Risk | Verified | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Treasury bill – 4-week | 4.068% investment rate (auction Oct 15, 2026) | No fee at TreasuryDirect | Minimum $100. Rate is the high investment rate at the latest official auction. | n/a | Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government | low US government debt | ✅ official source for US Treasury bill – 4-week | |
| US Treasury bill – 8-week | 4.132% investment rate (auction Oct 15, 2026) | No fee at TreasuryDirect | Minimum $100. Rate is the high investment rate at the latest official auction. | n/a | Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government | low US government debt | ✅ official source for US Treasury bill – 8-week | |
| US Treasury bill – 13-week | 4.185% investment rate (auction Oct 13, 2026) | No fee at TreasuryDirect | Minimum $100. Rate is the high investment rate at the latest official auction. | n/a | Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government | low US government debt | ✅ official source for US Treasury bill – 13-week | |
| US Treasury bill – 17-week | 4.313% investment rate (auction Oct 14, 2026) | No fee at TreasuryDirect | Minimum $100. Rate is the high investment rate at the latest official auction. | n/a | Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government | low US government debt | ✅ official source for US Treasury bill – 17-week | |
| US Treasury bill – 26-week | 4.351% investment rate (auction Oct 13, 2026) | No fee at TreasuryDirect | Minimum $100. Rate is the high investment rate at the latest official auction. | n/a | Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government | low US government debt | ✅ official source for US Treasury bill – 26-week | |
| US Treasury bill – 52-week | pending verification | No fee at TreasuryDirect | Auctioned every 4 weeks; latest result not checked this week. | n/a | Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government | low US government debt | ⏳ pending verification official source for US Treasury bill – 52-week |
Order: as collected, not a sponsored ranking. "Pending verification" values could not be confirmed on the official website and must not be used to decide. Sources: "official source" link in each row · how we read protection.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I buy T-bills?
Directly at TreasuryDirect.gov (minimum $100) or through a brokerage account at auction or on the secondary market.
Are T-bills taxed?
Interest is subject to federal income tax but exempt from state and local income taxes.
Investment rate vs discount rate?
The investment rate (bond-equivalent yield) is the figure comparable to an APY; the discount rate understates the yield.