The FDIC official digital sign is a badge reading "FDIC" with the line "FDIC-Insured—Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government" that FDIC-insured banks must show on their websites, mobile apps and ATM screens. Under the rule as amended in January 2026, banks must comply by April 1, 2027, so many sites do not show it yet. Its purpose is to help you tell when you are dealing with an insured bank rather than a company that only partners with one.
Key takeaways
- The current compliance date for the digital sign on websites, apps and ATMs is April 1, 2027. The earlier March 1, 2026 and January 1, 2027 dates were replaced by the FDIC's final rule published January 29, 2026.
- On a bank's website or app the sign is required on three places only: the homepage or initial screen, the login page, and the first page of the deposit account opening process.
- Pages mainly about investments, annuities or other non-deposit products must say those products are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits and may lose value.
- The sign is not a product guarantee. Nonbank companies are never FDIC-insured themselves, and a separate FDIC rule bars anyone from knowingly misstating deposit insurance.
- A missing sign does not prove a bank is uninsured. Check the bank by name in the FDIC's BankFind tool.
What the sign is and what it says
Section 18(a) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act lets the FDIC set sign and advertising requirements for insured banks, and the rules sit in 12 CFR part 328. In December 2023 the FDIC adopted amendments to subpart A of that part that set signage requirements for physical premises, digital deposit-taking channels, and ATMs and similar devices (Federal Register, Jan. 18, 2024). The digital sign is the version of the familiar official sign designed for screens.
Under the January 2026 version of the regulation, the word "FDIC" is shown in bold, in navy blue or black, and the line "FDIC-Insured—Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government" appears in smaller italic type in navy blue or black. The font is Source Sans Pro Web or a similar one. If those colors would be unreadable against a dark background, the sign is shown in white. The sign may wrap to fit small screens. The 2026 amendments dropped the earlier requirements for exact color codes and set font sizes; the FDIC says it will still offer a standard, optional version to banks through FDICconnect (Federal Register, Jan. 29, 2026).
The rule applies to insured depository institutions, including insured branches of foreign banks.
Current dates after the 2026 change
The compliance date moved several times, which is why older articles disagree. The table below follows the FDIC's own releases and the Federal Register notice.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Dec. 2023 | FDIC board adopts the amended signage rule; it takes effect April 1, 2024, with full compliance first required January 1, 2025. |
| Oct. 17, 2024 | FDIC extends the subpart A compliance date from January 1, 2025 to May 1, 2025. The misrepresentation rules in subpart B keep their January 1, 2025 date. |
| March 11, 2025 | Before that date arrives, the FDIC delays the website, app and ATM provisions (sections 328.4 and 328.5) again, to March 1, 2026, so it can propose changes to them. |
| May 1, 2025 | Compliance required for the rest of the subpart A amendments, including the physical sign and advertising provisions. |
| Nov. 25, 2025 | For the website, app and ATM provisions only (sections 328.4 and 328.5), the date moves from March 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027. |
| Jan. 22–29, 2026 | The FDIC announces, and the Federal Register publishes, a final rule that simplifies sections 328.4 and 328.5. It is effective March 2, 2026, and compliance is required by April 1, 2027. |
Sources for the table: the FDIC's October 2024 announcement, the March 2025 Federal Register notice, FIL-53-2025, and FIL-3-2026. In the final rule, the FDIC says the January 1, 2027 date set in November 2025 has been superseded, and that it is not treating banks that complied with the older text as automatically compliant with the new one (Federal Register).
As of November 4, 2026, that leaves about 148 days before the April 1, 2027 date. A bank may show the sign earlier, and many do, but until then a missing digital sign is not a violation. The rest of the subpart A amendments, including the physical sign at branches and the official advertising statement rules, have applied since May 1, 2025.
Where the sign must appear online
The website and app rule covers "digital deposit-taking channels": websites and web-based or mobile apps that let customers make deposits electronically and give them access to deposits. Under the amended text, the sign must be displayed clearly, continuously and conspicuously on three pages or screens:
- the initial page or homepage of the website or app;
- the login page; and
- the page or screen where a customer first starts opening a deposit account.
The FDIC removed two earlier requirements: the "landing page" reference, which overlapped with login, and the requirement to show the sign on every page where a customer could transact with deposits. The final rule also says the sign is needed only on the first screen of a multi-step account-opening flow, not on each successive screen (Federal Register).
The regulation gives examples of placement that would meet the standard: the sign near the top of a homepage and next to the bank's name, next to the username and password fields on an app's login screen, or near the top or center of an account-opening page. The FDIC describes these as examples, not a mandate to put it in one fixed spot. That is where the common description of the sign appearing "near the bank name" comes from.
The FDIC's Q&A page says the sign is not required every time a bank's name appears, in the app store where a bank's app is listed, or on social media ads, and that it generally does not apply to downloadable content such as terms and conditions. The page was last updated May 13, 2026 and notes the 2026 amendments, but some answers, such as the app store one, date from 2024. Treat it as a guide to how the FDIC reads the rule, with the regulation itself controlling (FDIC Part 328 Q&A).
Non-deposit products and ATMs
Investments on a bank's site
Banks often sell products that are not deposits, such as mutual funds, annuities and stocks. The FDIC does not insure those (FDIC deposit insurance overview). If a bank's digital channel advertises or gives information about or access to non-deposit products, it must display signage saying the products are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits and may lose value, on any page primarily dedicated to those products. The FDIC gives a page reached by clicking "Investing" or "Wealth Management" as the typical case. A homepage with a few links to investment pages does not meet that "primarily dedicated" test (Federal Register).
Placement near the bottom of a page is allowed only if the notice stands out. The FDIC says a non-deposit notice at the bottom of a page in very small type does not meet the standard, while one set in a box, or in bold or larger type than the smallest text on the page, can. It also says the rule does not stop a bank from putting insured and uninsured products on the same page that shows the digital sign, so the sign alone does not tell you every product on the page is covered.
Leaving the bank's site
If a logged-in customer clicks a link that leads to a non-deposit product on a nonbank third party's site, the bank must show a one-time notice per session. It must say the products are not FDIC-insured, are not deposits and may lose value. The customer can dismiss it, or it can disappear on its own after at least three seconds. The FDIC treats a bank's affiliates as third parties for this purpose.
ATM screens
A bank's ATMs and similar devices that take deposits must show the digital sign on the initial screen. A screen saver or advertisement shown while the machine is idle does not count as the initial screen. Non-deposit signage applies only to machines that both take deposits and let customers transact in non-deposit products; it is required only for the bank's own customers and only on the first screen shown when they start a non-deposit transaction. Machines placed in service on or before April 1, 2027, and newer machines that do not let customers transact in non-deposit products, may show the physical FDIC sign instead of the digital one (Federal Register).
Telling a bank from a fintech
The digital sign is only one clue, and the rule it comes from is aimed at banks. The FDIC's consumer guidance on third-party apps is blunt: nonbank companies are never FDIC-insured themselves. Money you send to a nonbank can become eligible for "pass-through" coverage only once the company places it in an insured bank, and the company must keep records showing each owner and how much each owns. FDIC insurance does not protect against the insolvency or bankruptcy of the nonbank company (FDIC, Banking With Third-Party Apps).
That is why a separate part of the rules matters. Subpart B of part 328 covers anyone who falsely represents, by using the FDIC's name or logo, that a deposit is insured, who knowingly misrepresents that a deposit is insured when it is not, or who knowingly misstates the extent or manner of coverage. It also covers anyone who helps another person do so (12 CFR 328.100). Section 328.102 spells out that a statement can violate the rule if it would mislead a reasonable consumer, even if no one is actually deceived. The section also lists information whose absence makes a deposit insurance statement misleading: a nonbank that implies an advertised product is FDIC-insured should clearly name the insured bank or banks where deposits may be placed, and a nonbank making a deposit insurance statement should clearly disclose that it is not an insured bank and that insurance covers only an insured bank's failure (12 CFR 328.102).
| What you see | What it can tell you | What it cannot tell you |
|---|---|---|
| FDIC digital sign on a bank's login page | The site presents itself as an insured bank showing its required sign | That the site is genuine (a copied logo proves nothing; check BankFind) or that every product on it is insured |
| "Member FDIC" in an ad | The advertiser presents itself as an insured bank | That a fintech partner named in the ad is itself insured |
| An app saying funds are "FDIC-insured through our partner bank" | Funds may be held at a named insured bank | That the app company is covered if it fails |
| No sign yet on a bank site | Possibly a bank that is not yet required to comply | That the bank is uninsured |
Frequently asked questions
Will I see the sign on every page of my bank's website?
No. The amended rule requires it on the homepage or initial screen, the login page and the first page of account opening. The FDIC's Q&A also says it is not required in app store listings or on social media ads, and generally not on downloadable documents such as terms and conditions.
Does the sign mean everything on that site is FDIC-insured?
No. The FDIC's final rule expressly allows uninsured products on pages that carry the sign. Pages mainly about non-deposit products must carry a notice that those products are not FDIC-insured, are not deposits and may lose value.
What if a fintech app displays an FDIC logo or says it is FDIC-insured?
The FDIC says nonbank companies themselves are never FDIC-insured. Ask which bank holds the money, then confirm that bank in BankFind. A misleading use of the FDIC's name or logo can violate the misrepresentation rules in subpart B of part 328.
Does the bank's ATM have to show the digital sign too?
Yes, if the machine takes deposits: the sign goes on the initial screen, unless the machine qualifies to show the physical sign instead. Machines in service on or before April 1, 2027 qualify, as do newer machines that do not allow transactions in non-deposit products.
Does a missing sign mean my bank is not insured?
Not by itself. The compliance date for the digital sign is April 1, 2027, and the sign is only a display requirement. Look up the institution in the FDIC's BankFind Suite, which can be searched by bank name, certificate number or web address, or call the FDIC at 1-877-275-3342.
A quick check before you deposit
- Find the legal name of the bank on the site or app, not just the brand name.
- Search that name in BankFind Suite. A real insured bank will be listed; the FDIC notes that a web address found in its records is more likely to belong to a bank.
- If the product comes from an app, find the named partner bank and repeat step 2. Read the terms to see whether your balance is held in an account at that bank for your benefit.
- For investment or annuity pages, look for the "not FDIC-insured, not a deposit, may lose value" notice and treat the products as uninsured.
- Remember that standard coverage is $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, for each account ownership category, so how the account is titled matters (FDIC, Understanding Deposit Insurance).
This article is general education, not legal or financial advice. For a specific account or a complaint about a misleading claim, contact the FDIC or the bank directly.
Sources
- Federal Register, Jan. 29, 2026: FDIC Official Signs and Advertisement of Membership; final rule (2026-01806)
- FDIC, FIL-3-2026
- FDIC, FIL-53-2025, compliance date extension
- FDIC press release, October 17, 2024
- Federal Register, March 11, 2025: compliance date delay for sections 328.4 and 328.5 (2025-03790)
- Federal Register, Jan. 18, 2024: FDIC Official Signs and Advertising Requirements; final rule (2023-28629)
- FDIC, Questions and Answers Related to the Part 328 Final Rule
- 12 CFR 328.100, scope of subpart B
- 12 CFR 328.102, prohibition
- FDIC Consumer Resource Center, Banking With Third-Party Apps
- FDIC, deposit insurance overview
- FDIC, Understanding Deposit Insurance
- FDIC BankFind Suite
