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Several business accounts in Malaysia let SMEs earn interest or profit on money that would otherwise sit idle, but the amount you actually earn depends on the rate, balance requirements and other conditions attached to the account.
Some accounts offer a straightforward rate from relatively low balances, while others reserve their best returns for businesses holding hundreds of thousands or even millions of ringgit.
Among the options available, Boost SME's Boost Grow business account offers 3.0% p.a. with no minimum balance and lock-in periods.
Rates and conditions below are based on publicly available information checked in August 2026 and may change.
Which business accounts in Malaysia offer the highest interest rates?
| Business account | Advertised rate | How returns work | Main conditions |
| Standard Chartered Smart Business$aver-i | Up to 3.58% p.a. | Based on monthly average balance, with extra bonus return | New-to-deposit clients; RM500,000+ for 2.58%, plus qualifying FX or banca activity for 3.58% |
| Boost SME Boost Grow | 3.0% p.a. | Accrued daily | No minimum balance and no lock-in period |
| GXBank Biz Account | 2.50% p.a. | 1.00% base + 1.50% bonus interest, credited daily | Eligible new-to-GXBank sole proprietors; campaign ends 30 Sep 2026 |
| Alliance Biz Advantage | Up to 2.50% p.a. | Calculated on daily end balance, credited monthly | RM100,000 initial deposit plus qualifying product bundle; top rate applies for deposit balances above RM2 million |
| UOB BizCA+ | Up to 1.48% p.a. | Daily interest based on balance tiers | Highest rate applies above RM3 million |
| Maybank SME First Account-i | – | – | A shariah-compliant current account for SME, with no monthly fees, unlimited withdrawals, and M2U online banking features. |
Boost Bank currently lists 3.0% p.a. for Boost Grow, with interest accruing based on the account's end-of-day balance.
However, the conditions behind the other headline rates are important. GXBank's 2.50% is currently a promotional rate, Standard Chartered requires a sizeable balance and extra banking activity to reach 3.58%, while Alliance combines balance tiers with product-bundle requirements.
*Rates and conditions shown are based on publicly available information as at August-2026 and may change. This is not a full comparison of all account features — please check with each bank directly before deciding.
Boost SME's Boost Grow vs GXBank Biz Account: Which pays more interest?
Boost Grow currently offers 3.0% p.a., while eligible GXBank Biz Account customers can earn a promotional 2.50% p.a. until 30 September 2026.
GXBank's current 2.50% consists of:
- 1.00% base interest
- 1.50% bonus interest
The interest is applied to the end-of-day Biz Account balance during the campaign period.
However, the promotional rate has eligibility conditions. The campaign terms specify that eligible businesses must include new-to-GXBank customers who are sole proprietors and successfully open and activate a GX Biz Account.
Boost Grow, meanwhile, currently offers:
- 3.0% p.a.
- interest accrued daily
- no lock-in
- RM0 minimum balance currently stated for its business current account
For a simple illustration, if a business maintained RM50,000 for a full year:
| Rate | Approximate annual interest* |
| 3.0% p.a. | RM1,522.66 |
| 2.5% p.a. | RM1,250 |
*This is a simplified calculation before accounting for changing daily balances, rounding or individual product terms.
GXBank may therefore be a relevant alternative for an eligible sole proprietor, while Boost SME supports a wider range of registered business structures including sole proprietorships, partnerships and Sdn Bhd companies.
Boost Grow vs Standard Chartered: Which offers a better rate?
Standard Chartered Smart Business$aver-i can offer more at up to 3.58% p.a., but reaching that maximum rate is considerably harder.
Its current structure pays:
- 0.08% p.a. below RM350,000
- 1.58% p.a. from RM350,000 to below RM500,000
- 2.58% p.a. from RM500,000
To reach the full 3.58% p.a., an eligible customer must also complete at least RM200,000 in qualifying FX transactions per month or purchase selected bancassurance/bancatakaful products worth at least RM50,000 APE/GWP.
The current campaign is also limited to new-to-deposit clients who did not hold a Current/Savings Account/-i with Standard Chartered as of 30 June 2026.
So while Standard Chartered technically has the higher maximum return, Boost Grow's 3.0% p.a. is easier for a smaller SME to access without maintaining hundreds of thousands of ringgit or completing additional qualifying activity.
Boost Grow vs Alliance Biz Advantage: Which pays more?
Boost Grow offers the higher rate, credited daily regardless of amount, for smaller balances, while Alliance Biz Advantage is structured more towards businesses holding larger amounts of cash and using additional Alliance services.
Alliance currently offers:
| Daily end balance | Interest/profit rate |
| RM100,000 and below | 0.00% p.a. |
| Above RM100,000 to RM1 million | 1.80% p.a. |
| Above RM1 million to RM2 million | 2.00% p.a. |
| Above RM2 million | 2.50% p.a. |
Interest or profit is calculated using the daily end balance and credited at the end of the month.
New Alliance Biz Advantage customers also need a RM100,000 initial deposit.
More importantly, customers must meet at least one product-bundle requirement, such as:
- RM100,000 in cumulative qualifying business FX transactions
- selected Zurich insurance or takaful products
- Alliance BizSmart QR or merchant solutions with at least RM5,000 in cumulative sales
That means Alliance's headline 2.50% is aimed at a substantially different type of business from an SME keeping RM50,000 or RM100,000 in its operating account.
What about UOB and Maybank business accounts?
UOB and Maybank remain established SME banking options, although their returns on business cash are structured differently.
UOB's BizCA+ is an interest-bearing business current account. Its published daily rates range from 0.05% p.a. above RM50,000 to 1.48% p.a. above RM3 million, with an initial deposit of RM25,000.
Maybank's SME First Account, meanwhile, is a business current account focused more on day-to-day banking. Maybank highlights features such as online account opening, no monthly fee, unlimited withdrawals, Maybank2u Biz access and integration with services such as QRPayBiz and SME financing.
This reflects a more traditional approach to business banking: use a current account for everyday transactions and move surplus cash into another product when you want to earn additional returns.
How does daily interest on a business account work?
Daily interest does not mean you earn the advertised percentage every day. A rate of 3% p.a. means approximately 3% per year.
The annual rate is used to calculate how much interest is earned for each individual day.
A simplified calculation is:
End-of-day balance × annual interest rate ÷ number of days in the year
If money enters or leaves your account throughout the month, the interest earned changes according to the balance held each day.
It is also important to distinguish calculated daily from credited daily.
Boost Grow accrues and credits interest daily, while GXBank's qualifying interest is credited daily. Alliance calculates returns using daily balances but credits them monthly, while Maybank's SME First Investment Account-i calculates profit daily and pays it monthly.
Which business account is better for smaller or larger balances?
The amount your business normally keeps available can make a major difference to which account provides the best return.
- Boost Grow: The all-rounder option, offering a 3% p.a. rate for all amounts, no minimum amount required
- Standard Chartered: Higher deposit tiers begin to apply RM350,000 and above
- Alliance Biz Advantage: Reaches 2.50% p.a. tier above RM2 million
- UOB BizCA+: Reaches its 1.48% p.a. tier above RM3 million
The useful comparison is therefore the rate your business can realistically earn on the balance it normally maintains, not simply the largest percentage advertised.
Is Boost SME worth getting for Malaysian businesses?
Boost SME may be worth considering for businesses starting fresh or wanting to switch banks. It is suitable for SMEs ready to trade branch queues, cheque books, and paperwork for something faster, and better paying.
Boost Grow currently offers 3.0% p.a., while GXBank's 2.50% is a promotional combination of base and bonus interest for eligible businesses. Standard Chartered offers a higher maximum of 3.58% p.a., but requires a much larger balance and additional activity, while Alliance's top 2.50% tier applies above RM2 million together with its product-bundle requirements.
Boost SME also brings together the Boost Bank account with business payment and Boost SME financing services, which may add value beyond the interest rate itself.
However, established banks such as Maybank, Alliance and UOB may offer conventional banking facilities that certain businesses value more.
Boost Bank's SME offering is primarily designed around digital banking. A business that relies heavily on conventional banking services may therefore have different priorities.
For an SME that operates mainly digitally and regularly keeps spare operating cash in its account, Boost Grow stands out as one of the more straightforward high-interest options currently available.
Frequently asked questions
Which business account offers 3% p.a. without a high balance requirement?
Boost SME's Boost Grow currently offers 3.0% p.a., with Boost Bank listing a RM0 minimum balance for its business current account until further notice.
You can click here to open a Boost Grow account.
Which pays more interest: Boost Grow or GXBank Biz Account?
Boost SME Boost Grow currently offers 3.0% p.a., while eligible GXBank Biz Account customers can earn 2.50% p.a. until 30 September 2026, consisting of 1.00% base interest plus 1.50% bonus interest.
Which business account offers the highest advertised rate?
Standard Chartered Smart Business$aver-i currently advertises up to 3.58% p.a., although reaching the maximum requires a sizeable balance plus qualifying FX or bancassurance/bancatakaful activity.
Does Alliance Biz Advantage pay 2.50% on every balance?
No. The 2.50% p.a. rate applies to daily end balances above RM2 million. Lower balance tiers earn lower rates, and applicable product-bundle requirements must also be met.
Does daily interest mean I cannot withdraw the money?
No. Interest-bearing current or savings accounts generally keep funds accessible, although withdrawing money reduces the balance used to calculate future interest. Investment accounts and fixed deposits can have different withdrawal or holding conditions.
Does Maybank offer daily returns for SMEs?
Maybank's SME First Investment Account-i calculates profit daily and pays it monthly. However, it is an investment account rather than a normal deposit account and is not protected by PIDM.
Is Boost Bank a reliable digital bank?
Boost is a regional fintech group providing digital financial services to consumers and businesses in Malaysia and Indonesia. Established in 2017, Boost pioneered QR-based mobile payments in Malaysia and has since expanded its financial services ecosystem across digital payments, digital banking, lending, and SME financial solutions.
In 2024, Boost expanded into digital banking with the launch of Boost Bank, Malaysia's first homegrown digital bank. Boost Bank is a consortium between Axiata Group Berhad and RHB Banking Group and is licensed and regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). In 2026, Boost launched Boost SME, an all-in-one digital business banking platform for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, bringing together business banking, payments and financing within a single ecosystem. Through its integrated fintech ecosystem, Boost focuses on expanding access to digital financial services and supporting financial inclusion for consumers and businesses.
This article is sponsored by Boost.
