Citi's August 2026 update keeps the main new-customer Regular Checking bonus at $325, with a $3,000 direct-deposit target and an October 26 application deadline. The major change is elsewhere: a former $750 balance-based tier fell to $500, while regional and business offers complicate the choice. A bank account bonus is cash paid after a customer meets specific deposit or balance requirements. The best option depends on whether you can redirect qualifying income, maintain a large balance, or access a ZIP-code-restricted offer.
Table of Contents
- How the $325 checking bonus works
- What changed in the balance-based offers
- Which offer fits your situation?
- What counts as a qualifying direct deposit?
- Deadlines, fees, and taxes to watch
How the $325 checking bonus works
According to Forbes Advisor's August 10 update, new customers must open Regular Checking and receive at least two qualifying direct deposits totaling $3,000 within 90 days. The published application deadline is October 26, 2026.
The bonus is not immediate cash. Citi pays it 90 to 120 days after account opening once the requirements are satisfied, so keep the account open through fulfillment and retain records of qualifying deposits.
What changed in the balance-based offers
Doctor of Credit's July 15 update reports that Citi now pays $500 for maintaining $30,000 in new-to-Citi funds or $1,500 for maintaining $200,000. Customers receive a 45-day funding window, followed by another 45 days during which the balance must remain in place. The former $750 tier was cut to $500 in April.
The $30,000 option now requires a qualifying balance ten times the $325 offer's deposit total, but pays only $175 more. Citi also has a reported $475 offer requiring Regular Checking, Savings, and $5,000 in enhanced direct deposits. It runs through October 22, 2026, but is limited to selected states or markets. Forbes Advisor reports that Citi promotions vary by ZIP code, so not every applicant will see this version.
Which offer fits your situation?
Business owners have a separate promotion. Citi's business offer page lists bonuses from $300 to $2,000 for bringing in $5,000 to $200,000 in new funds.
The balance must remain for an additional 45 days, enrollment requires a Citi business specialist, and the offer expires October 6, 2026. Use the requirements—not the largest headline—to narrow the options:.
- Consider the $325 offer if you can redirect qualifying deposits but do not want to maintain a five-figure balance.
- Check the $475 combination offer only if it appears for your ZIP and you need both checking and savings.
- Compare the balance offers if $30,000 or $200,000 can remain untouched for the required period.
- Use the business promotion only for a business account and plan for specialist-assisted enrollment.
What counts as a qualifying direct deposit?
Citi's offer terms define an Enhanced Direct Deposit as a qualifying ACH deposit. Examples include payroll, pensions, Social Security, government benefits, and ACH-based payments through Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal.
Cash, checks, wires, internal transfers, and debit-card peer-to-peer transfers do not qualify. That distinction matters because a payment sent through the correct service can still fail if it uses a debit card rather than ACH. Before relying on a transfer:.
- Confirm the exact offer displayed for your ZIP.
- Schedule at least two qualifying deposits totaling $3,000 within 90 days for the $325 bonus.
- Verify that any peer-to-peer payment travels by ACH.
- Keep the account open until the bonus posts.
Deadlines, fees, and taxes to watch
The next deadlines arrive in this order: Regular Checking carries a $15 monthly fee. Citi waives it when the account receives at least $250 in enhanced direct deposits during the month, so completing the bonus once may not prevent later fees.
Citi's 2026 offer restrictions state that cash bonuses are reported as interest for U.S. persons on Form 1099-INT. Save the applicable terms, deposit records, fulfillment date, and bonus amount for your tax records.
- October 6, 2026: business-checking promotion.
- October 22, 2026: reported regional $475 checking-and-savings offer.
- October 26, 2026: $325 Regular Checking application deadline.
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