If you’re the type who can keep your hands off your savings, this account pays you for it.
Security Bank’s Money Builder Savings is a high-interest savings account that rewards you with bonus interest every month and every quarter, but only if you don’t make any withdrawals. Park your money, leave it alone, and the rate goes up. Touch it, and the bonus disappears.
It’s a product built for people who already have an emergency fund covered elsewhere and want a better home for their longer-term savings. If you’re easily tempted to dip into your balance, there are easier options. But if you have the discipline? This one’s worth a closer look.
Quick note: If you’ve been reading about Security Bank’s Build Up Savings, that’s a different product — and one that’s no longer being actively promoted. Money Builder is Security Bank’s current high-interest savings play.
We’ll compare the two later in this article.
Money Builder Savings at a glance
| Opening and maintaining balance | ₱10,000 |
| Balance to earn interest | ₱10,000 |
| Base interest rate | 0.00% – 2.25% p.a. (tiered by balance) |
| Monthly bonus interest | +0.25% p.a. (no withdrawals that month) |
| Quarterly bonus interest | +0.75% p.a. (no withdrawals that quarter) |
| Maximum interest rate | Up to 3.25% p.a. |
The bonus structure is pretty straightforward once you see it laid out. Your base rate depends on your balance tier. On top of that, Security Bank adds a monthly bonus of 0.25% p.a. if you don’t withdraw at all during the calendar month. There’s also a quarterly bonus of 0.75% p.a. if you go the whole quarter without a single withdrawal.
Stack all three — base rate, monthly bonus, quarterly bonus — and you hit the maximum rate. That’s an extra 1.00% p.a. on top of your base rate, just for leaving your money alone. The key word there is calendar month and quarter, so the clock resets at the start of each new period.
How much can you actually earn?
Here are the current rates, effective June 1, 2025, per the Security Bank Money Builder page:
| Deposit Range | Base Rate (p.a.) | Max Rate (p.a.) |
| ₱5,000 – ₱99,999 | 0.00% | 1.00% |
| ₱100,000 – ₱999,999 | 0.50% | 1.50% |
| ₱1,000,000 – ₱4,999,999 | 1.00% | 2.00% |
| ₱5,000,000 – ₱9,999,999 | 1.30% | 2.30% |
| ₱10,000,000 – ₱19,999,999 | 2.00% | 3.00% |
| ₱20,000,000 and above | 2.25% | 3.25% |
The formula is simple: Maximum Rate = Base Rate + 0.25% (monthly bonus) + 0.75% (quarterly bonus). Every tier gets the same bonus structure; what changes is the base rate you’re starting from.
Let’s put real numbers to it. Say you park ₱100,000 and don’t make a single withdrawal for a full quarter. You earn the max rate of 1.50% p.a. After the 20% withholding tax, your net rate comes down to 1.20% p.a. On ₱100,000, that’s around ₱1,200 in net interest per year — or roughly ₱100 a month. Not life-changing, but it’s better than the near-zero rates you’d get from a basic savings account.
Now here’s the part you need to pay attention to: the ₱5,000 – ₱99,999 tier has a 0.00% base rate. That means if you withdraw even once during the month, you earn absolutely nothing. Zero. Your entire return in that bracket comes from the bonuses. Go the whole month without touching it and you get 0.25%. Go the whole quarter and you get 1.00% max. But one withdrawal wipes out the bonus for that period.
If your balance is in that range and something unexpected comes up, you won’t just earn less — you’ll earn nothing at all for that month or quarter. That’s the tradeoff.
What happens if you withdraw?
Your money is never locked in. You can withdraw whenever you want — there’s no hard limit on transactions like the old Build Up account had. But every time you do, you pay a price in lost interest.
Make a withdrawal during a calendar month, and you forfeit the 0.25% monthly bonus for that month. Make a withdrawal during a quarter, and you forfeit the 0.75% quarterly bonus for that quarter. Your rate drops back to the base rate alone — or to 0.00% if you’re in the lowest tier.
Think of it less as a penalty and more as a rule: the bonus is earned by staying put, not by doing anything special. The moment you move money out, the bonus resets.
The old Build Up Savings handled this differently. It gave you three withdrawals per quarter before penalizing you, and the penalty was a drop to 0.10%. Money Builder doesn’t give you any free passes — but the potential reward is higher. It’s a stricter structure with a bigger upside.
How to open a money builder account
The whole application can be done online in about 10 minutes. No branch visit needed to apply.
Here’s how it works, per the official Security Bank page:
- Prepare your requirements: a mobile device with a working camera, a Philippine mobile number, one primary ID, and a pen with white paper (you’ll need to upload your signature).
- Fill out the online form: enter your personal details, complete a likeness check (think selfie + ID scan), then upload your ID and signature. Start the application at securitybank.com.
- Wait for an email update: Security Bank says you’ll hear back within 15 minutes. If nothing shows up, check your Spam or Promotions folder. Worst case, it can take up to 48 hours.
- Make your initial deposit: you can do this online via bank or e-wallet transfer, or go in-person at a Cash Deposit Machine or a Security Bank branch.
- Register in the Security Bank app: download the app and set up your account access.
- Claim your Debit Mastercard: visit the branch you selected during your application, bring a valid ID, and pick up your card.
That last step is the only reason you’d need to physically go to a branch. The card doesn’t get mailed — you pick it up in person.
Money Builder vs Build Up Savings — What changed?
If you opened a Security Bank account a few years ago, you might have heard of Build Up Savings. Here’s a quick side-by-side of how the two products compare:
| Feature | Build Up Savings (2020) | Money Builder (2026) |
| Opening / maintaining balance | ₱5,000 (Regular) / ₱50,000 (Premium) | ₱10,000 |
| Base interest rate | 0.50% (Regular) / 1.00% (Premium) | 0.00% – 2.25% (tiered by balance) |
| Maximum interest rate | 0.50% / 1.00% | Up to 3.25% |
| Withdrawal limit | 3 per quarter | No hard limit |
| Penalty for withdrawals | Rate drops to 0.10% | Lose monthly and/or quarterly bonus |
| Online account opening | No (branch only) | Yes (app, ~10 minutes) |
Build Up Savings rates were last confirmed in 2020. The product page is still up on the Security Bank website, but it’s not being actively promoted anymore. Money Builder is what they’re pushing now — and the ceiling rate is considerably higher, even if the floor has dropped to 0% for lower balances.
Money Builder vs other high-Interest savings accounts
Where does Money Builder sit compared to other options? Here’s the honest picture.
At its maximum rate of 3.25% p.a. (which requires a ₱20 million+ balance and zero withdrawals for a full quarter), Money Builder is genuinely competitive. Most traditional bank savings accounts in the Philippines are still sitting at 0.10% or below.
For most people, though, the relevant tier is ₱100,000 – ₱999,999, where the max rate is 1.50% p.a. (1.20% net after tax).
That’s better than a standard savings account but trails digital banks like Maya Savings, which has offered higher rates with fewer conditions. CIMB Bank PH has also run competitive rates on its savings products, and GSave through GCash has been a popular option for smaller savers, though rates there vary.
The thing Money Builder has going for it is that it’s a traditional bank with full branch access, PDIC coverage, and the full range of Security Bank products on the side.
If you’re already banking with Security Bank, maybe you have an All Access Checking Account or you’re part of the Gold Circle, Money Builder makes a solid case. For lower balances below ₱100,000, the 0% base rate makes digital bank alternatives worth checking first.
Fees and charges
The Money Builder product page doesn’t list individual fees — you’ll need to check the Security Bank fees and charges page for the full schedule.
A few things worth knowing upfront: if your balance drops below the ₱10,000 maintaining balance for two or more consecutive months, a fee applies.
Your account also goes dormant after two years of no activity — deposits, withdrawals, nothing — and dormant accounts are subject to a monthly service charge.
Leave a dormant account untouched for 10 consecutive years and the funds get escheated to the National Treasury.
Your Debit Mastercard comes with the account. No separate annual fee for the card is mentioned on the product page.
Things to keep in mind if you open an account
Withholding tax. All interest earned is subject to 20% withholding tax. That 1.50% max rate becomes 1.20% net. Factor this in when you’re comparing rates across banks.
PDIC coverage. Your deposits are insured by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) up to ₱1,000,000 per depositor. This coverage limit was updated effective March 15, 2025, and applies across all your deposits in the bank — not per account.
Rates can change. The rates shown here are effective as of June 1, 2025, per the Security Bank website. Security Bank can adjust them at any time. Always confirm current rates at securitybank.com or at your nearest branch before making a decision.
BSP-regulated. Security Bank Corporation is supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (bsp.gov.ph).
Contact details: Reach Security Bank’s customer service at +632 888-791-88, toll-free via PLDT landline at 1-800-1-888-1250, or by email at [email protected].
Money Builder rewards patience. That’s really what it comes down to.
If you’re disciplined enough to leave your savings untouched for months at a time — especially at ₱100,000 and above — the bonus interest adds up in a way that a regular savings account just won’t give you. You’re not just earning on your principal. You’re earning more because you’re behaving well.
But below ₱100,000, the math gets uncomfortable. A 0% base rate means your entire return depends on bonuses, and one surprise expense wipes those out for the period.
If that’s your situation, you’d be better served by a digital bank with a consistently decent rate and no withdrawal conditions — at least until your balance grows to the point where Money Builder’s structure starts working in your favor.
And if you’re looking at time deposits instead, we’ve also compared Maybank time deposit rates and BDO time deposit rates if you want to explore fixed-term options.
So here’s the question worth sitting with: do you actually have savings you can afford to not touch for three months straight — or are you still building that buffer?