ICICI Bank’s new minimum balance rules: ICICI Bank has recently announced major changes to its minimum balance rules for savings accounts. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has clarified that banks are free to set their own minimum balance requirements, and ICICI Bank has decided to introduce one of the steepest benchmarks in the country.
From 1 August 2025, anyone opening a new savings account with ICICI Bank will need to maintain a much higher minimum average monthly balance (MAMB). This move is set to impact new customers in metro, urban, semi-urban, and rural areas differently, with each category seeing a significant rise in the required balance.
Why Has ICICI Bank Increased the Minimum Balance?According to banking experts, this shift in the ICICI Bank's new minimum balance rules is part of a wider trend where banks want customers to keep more funds parked with them. While it increases liquidity for banks, the interest paid on savings accounts remains modest. The RBI’s stance gives banks the liberty to decide their own thresholds, and ICICI Bank has taken a bold step by raising the requirement several times higher than before.
New Minimum Balance Rules from August 2025Under the revised policy, the MAMB for metro and urban savings accounts will jump from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000—a fivefold increase. Semi-urban and rural accounts will also see sharp hikes.
- Metro and Urban Branches: Rs 50,000 (previously Rs 10,000)
- Semi-Urban Branches: Rs 25,000 (previously Rs 5,000)
- Rural Branches: Rs 10,000 (previously Rs 5,000)
If new account holders fail to maintain the required MAMB, ICICI Bank will impose penalties. These charges will vary depending on the type of account and location, so customers should carefully check the updated schedule of charges before opening an account.
Who Will Be Affected by the Revised Rules?The ICICI Bank's new minimum balance rules will only apply to new savings accounts opened on or after 1 August 2025. Existing customers will continue under their current terms unless the bank notifies them of changes in the future.
Exceptions to the New Rules- Salary Accounts: These accounts remain zero-balance accounts, so customers with an ICICI Bank salary account do not have to worry about maintaining a higher balance.
- Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts (BSBDA): As per RBI guidelines, these accounts have a zero minimum balance requirement, and the new rules will not affect them.
Alongside the balance changes, ICICI Bank has updated its cash transaction policies:
- Free Limit: 3 transactions per month at branches and cash recycler machines.
- After Free Limit: Rs 150 per transaction.
- Free Value Limit: Rs 1 lakh per month; above this, Rs 3.5 per Rs 1,000 or Rs 150, whichever is higher.
- Third-Party Transactions: Limit of Rs 25,000 per transaction for both deposits and withdrawals.
Cash deposits made via acceptor or recycler machines outside working hours (4:30 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.) or on holidays will incur an extra Rs 50 fee if monthly deposits exceed Rs 10,000. This is over and above standard transaction charges.
Non-ICICI Bank ATM ChargesFor customers using ATMs in six major metro cities—Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad—the charges are:
- Rs 23 per financial transaction after the first 3 free transactions in a month.
- Rs 8.5 per non-financial transaction after the first 3 free transactions in a month.
ICICI Bank has published all details of the minimum balance rules, cash transaction fees, and ATM usage charges on its official website. Customers can also visit their nearest branch for personalised guidance before opening a new account.
The ICICI Bank new minimum balance rules mark one of the biggest shifts in savings account requirements in recent years. With the RBI allowing banks the flexibility to decide their own benchmarks, customers should be more aware of the conditions before choosing an account type.
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