As of August 1, 2025, ICICI Bank has raised its monthly average balance (MAB) requirement for new savings accounts:
For everyday savers, especially those not consistently maintaining high balances, this policy may feel restrictive and exclusionary:
Bank / Account Type | Metro/Urban MAB | Semi-urban MAB | Rural MAB |
---|---|---|---|
ICICI (new accounts) | ₹50,000 | ₹25,000 | ₹10,000 |
HDFC | ₹10,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹2,500 (initial deposit)HDFC Bank |
Axis Bank | ₹12,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹2,500Moneyview |
Public Banks (e.g., SBI, PNB, Canara) | Zero-balance | Zero-balance | Zero-balanceMaharashtra Times |
Other private banks (from BankBazaar comparison) | Varies: e.g., Kotak ( |
“I once held an ICICI current account where the minimum balance rules started eroding my funds—even when I had just a couple thousand rupees left. I’d fall short by a few hundred, and repeated penalties gradually emptied the account. That experience taught me how such fees can silently drain hard-earned money over time.”
It also happened with me long back with sbi current account.
This resonates even more today with the new ₹50k MAB—if you’d experienced penalties before, this could feel even more punishing.
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