Top-paying CDs are cast to draw in depositors Certificates of deposit (CDs) are products offered by banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to draw in more depositors. Though it might seem odd to think of them this way, banks are businesses and earn revenue by lending money to borrowers at higher rates than they offer to depositors. Big, well-known banks don't often have a problem attracting depositors, since their size exudes assumed security. But lesser-known banks don't have a national bra ...