Bank deposits committed for a fixed term such as one or two years in a savings account are similarly called "fixed-term deposits".

Kaupthing Edge offered two deposit products: a savings account and a fixed-term deposit account.

Kaupthing Edge savings and fixed-term deposit accounts were managed over the Internet with the support of telephony call centres.

As in the sterling markets, EuroCDs are tradable certificates indicating ownership of a fixed-term deposit.

Mr. Seidman said it was "not clear" whether savings customers who have existing fixed-term deposits at high rates would suddenly find these yields adjusted downward, too.

Money market deposits (MMDs) are fixed-interest fixed-term deposits of up to one year with banks or discount houses.

According to the case presented, Mr. Maekawa produced 13 forgeries of the bank's fixed-term deposits, similar to certificates of deposit, totaling 342 billion yen, or about $2.5 billion.

Eurodeposits are fixed-term deposits on which a variable interest rate is paid, normally linked to the rate paid on sterling inter-bank lending or LIBOR.

They offered current accounts, savings accounts, fixed-term deposits, credit cards (Visa Inc. in association with MBNA), along with home and car insurance, and life assurance (term and over fifties).

"We expect demand for fixed-term deposit accounts to continue rising, and with inflation forecast to fall in 2012, it won't be long before fixed-term deposit savers are making money in real terms."

Starting in April, fixed-term deposits at any single bank will be insured only up to 10 million yen ($75,466) for each saver, a system similar to that of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in the United States.

Its services include retail banking, debit and credit cards, consumer and commercial loans, mortgages, fixed-term deposits, money transfers, cash management, and other banking operations processing services to businesses and individuals, as well as to small and medium businesses.

Together, they catered to the needs of roughly 900 clients in matters pertaining to the fiduciary administration of real estate interests, securities portfolios and current accounts - mainly in the CHF realm and the USA - as well as patent rights, loans and fixed-term deposits.