Updated November 6, 2026. The demand account (cuenta vista) is Chile's most widespread banking product. According to the CMF, 2025 Annual Regional Statistics Report, in March 2025 there were 28,004,179 bank demand accounts, almost double the 14,862,919 of 2014, with a total balance of CLP 7.7 trillion. It is an account for receiving and moving money with a debit card, with no checkbook or credit line, and it rarely pays interest.
This guide uses the most complete source available to compare them: the CMF fee simulator, which gathers the fees each bank and cooperative reports to the regulator. Its latest update covers fees in force as of July 31, 2025; where later changes are confirmed, we note them. The CuentaRUT has its own guide with fees and limits, and fintech wallets and accounts are covered in our digital accounts guide.
View the data as a table
| Bank demand accounts | 28.0 million |
| Total balance | $7.7 trillion |
| Growth since 2014 | 88% |
| Average balance per account | $275,979 |
Demand accounts 2026: fees by bank
The table summarizes fees on universally accessible demand accounts, meaning those anyone who meets the requirements can open without holding another product with the bank. The four columns that weigh most on the monthly cost are maintenance, included withdrawals, the charge for using other banks' ATMs and the charge for purchases abroad.
| Account (bank) | Monthly maintenance | Free withdrawals per month | Extra or other-bank withdrawal | Purchase abroad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuenta FAN (Banco de Chile) | $0 | None | UF 0,006 - UF 0,017 | US$0,5 |
| CuentaRUT (BancoEstado) | $0 | None | $0 - $300 | 1.9% (min. US$0.5) |
| Más Lucas (Santander) | CLP 0 without a checking account; UF 0.28 with one | All | $0 | 3.5% (cap US$2.33) |
| Demand Account (Banco Falabella) | UF 0 - UF 0,25 | All | $0 - $400 | $0 |
| Demand account (Coopeuch) | $0 | None | UF 0 - UF 0,01 | $0 |
| Individual Demand Account (Scotiabank) | UF 0,0595 | 4 | UF 0,1142 | UF 0,0964 |
| Cuenta Prima Individual (Bci) | UF 0,1983 | 4 | UF 0 - UF 0,036 | 1,51% |
| Demand account (Banco Ripley) | UF 0,238 | All | $0 | $0 |
| Go UC (BICE) | UF 0,071 - UF 0,107 | 2 | UF 0,021 | $0 |
| Cuenta Más (Consorcio) | UF 0,0893 | 4 | UF 0,021 | US$2 |
Source: CMF, demand account fee simulator and its fee file, fees in force as of Jul 31, 2025, checked Nov 6, 2026. Ranges depend on conditions such as a salary deposit, the number of monthly purchases or age. Two later changes: since April 15, 2026 the CuentaRUT no longer charges CLP 300 for transfers to other banks, according to the Ministry of Finance, and on Más Lucas the 3.5% fee on foreign purchases applies since January 1, 2026, according to the same CMF spreadsheet.
What each demand account costs per month according to the CMF
The CMF simulator calculates a monthly total net cost for an average usage profile: it adds the fees that person would pay and subtracts the interest they would earn on their balance. In that simulation, Santander's Más Lucas is the only one with a result in the customer's favor, CLP 448 a month, because it pays interest; next come the accounts of the Coocretal and Oriencoop cooperatives, at CLP 0. Among banks with a cost, the cheapest is Banco Falabella's Demand Account for Elite customers (CLP 400) and the most expensive is the same account for customers who do not meet the conditions (CLP 10,720).
| Más Lucas (Santander) | -448 |
| Cuenta Vista (Coocretal) | 0 |
| Cuenta Vista Ahorro Fácil (Oriencoop) | 0 |
| Cuenta Vista Elite (Banco Falabella) | 400 |
| Cuenta FAN (Banco de Chile) | 949 |
| CuentaRUT (BancoEstado) | 1,800 |
| Cuenta Vista Individual (Scotiabank) | 2,456 |
| Cuenta vista (Coopeuch) | 2,890 |
| Cuenta Pro (BancoEstado) | 4,087 |
| Go UC (BICE) | 4,421 |
| Cuenta Vista con uso (Banco Falabella) | 4,528 |
| Cuenta Familiar (Banco de Chile) | 4,912 |
| Banjoven (Banco de Chile) | 7,368 |
| Cuenta Directa (Banco de Chile) | 7,368 |
| Cuenta Prima Individual (Bci) | 8,186 |
| Cuenta vista (Banco Ripley) | 9,825 |
| Cuenta Vista otros clientes (Banco Falabella) | 10,720 |
Requirements to open a demand account by bank
Most demand accounts do not require a minimum income: a valid ID and no overdue or written-off debts are enough. The exceptions are Bci's Cuenta Prima, which requires at least CLP 400,000 gross, and accounts for young people and minors, which set a minimum age and require a legal representative's signature.
| Account (bank) | Age | Income | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| CuentaRUT (BancoEstado) | Women from 12, men from 14, with a guardian if a minor | Not required | Chileans and foreigners with permanent residency |
| Cuenta FAN (Banco de Chile) | 18+ (FAN Clan: 14 to 17) | Not required | No overdue or written-off debt; Clave Única |
| Más Lucas (Santander) | 18+ (Joven: from 12) | Not required | Chilean or with a Chilean RUT |
| Cuenta Prima (Bci) | Not reported | $400.000 gross | Chileans and foreigners with permanent residency |
| Individual Demand Account (Scotiabank) | 18+ (Joven: 12 to 25) | Not required | No overdue debts; proof of address |
| Demand Account (Banco Falabella) | 18+ | Not required | No overdue or written-off debt |
| Demand account (Coopeuch) | 18+ | Not required | Be a Coopeuch member |
Source: CMF, demand account fee simulator and its fee file, fees in force as of Jul 31, 2025, checked Nov 6, 2026, requirements sheet. If you need a checkbook or credit line, the product is different: we explain it in our checking account guide, with costs by bank.
Does your bank or fintech want to reach people choosing an account? See Pauta Financiera's formats.
See advertising optionsWhich demand accounts pay interest
Only three demand accounts in the CMF registry report interest on the balance: Banco Consorcio's Cuenta Más, which pays the monetary policy rate plus 0.5% a year on the average balance; Santander's Más Lucas, at 1.92% a year; and Scotiabank's Cuenta Renta Diaria, at 0.35%, which is no longer sold to new customers. If the goal is for your money to earn a return, it is also worth looking at savings accounts and their withdrawal rules.
| Account | Annual interest | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Cuenta Más (Banco Consorcio) | MPR + 0.5% | Universal |
| Más Lucas (Santander) | 1,92% | Universal |
| Cuenta Renta Diaria (Scotiabank) | 0,35% | Existing customers only |
Source: CMF, demand account fee simulator and its fee file, fees in force as of Jul 31, 2025, checked Nov 6, 2026, interest sheet. Rates are annual and converted to monthly using the 30/360 convention, according to the CMF.
How many demand accounts there are in Chile and how much they hold
The number of demand accounts grew every year since 2014. The balance, by contrast, jumped in 2021, from CLP 4.2 trillion to CLP 10.4 trillion, and then fell to CLP 7.7 trillion in 2025 (nominal figures as of March each year, according to the CMF). In other words, there are more accounts than ever, but each holds less on average than in 2021.
View the data as a table
| Demand accounts (millions) | |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 14.9 |
| 2015 | 15.9 |
| 2016 | 17.2 |
| 2017 | 18.1 |
| 2018 | 19.1 |
| 2019 | 20.7 |
| 2020 | 22.0 |
| 2021 | 24.3 |
| 2022 | 26.3 |
| 2023 | 26.5 |
| 2024 | 26.8 |
| 2025 | 28.0 |
View the data as a table
| Balance (CLP trillion) | |
|---|---|
| 2014 | $1.31 |
| 2015 | $1.65 |
| 2016 | $1.97 |
| 2017 | $2.26 |
| 2018 | $2.90 |
| 2019 | $3.47 |
| 2020 | $4.18 |
| 2021 | $10.39 |
| 2022 | $10.38 |
| 2023 | $7.77 |
| 2024 | $7.68 |
| 2025 | $7.73 |
By region, the average balance per account ranges from about CLP 258,000 in Los Ríos to CLP 321,000 in Aysén. The Metropolitan region holds 15.4 million of the 28 million accounts, but its average balance, CLP 268,769, is below the national average of CLP 275,979 (Pauta Financiera calculation using CMF tables 4.3 and 4.4).
View the data as a table
| Average balance (CLP) | |
|---|---|
| Aysén | $321,040 |
| Antofagasta | $319,547 |
| Ñuble | $308,038 |
| O'Higgins | $303,615 |
| Magallanes | $299,320 |
| Atacama | $292,907 |
| Arica y Parinacota | $291,079 |
| Tarapacá | $290,293 |
| Maule | $286,906 |
| Biobío | $285,792 |
| Coquimbo | $282,877 |
| Valparaíso | $275,824 |
| Metropolitana | $268,769 |
| Los Lagos | $267,169 |
| La Araucanía | $259,810 |
| Los Ríos | $258,198 |
Is money in a demand account safe?
Yes, with broader protection than other deposits. According to the CMF, balances in demand and checking accounts have 100% coverage if a bank goes into forced liquidation, whether they belong to individuals or companies. The state guarantee on term deposits and savings accounts, by contrast, covers up to UF 200 per institution and UF 400 across the system per year for individuals.
Which account fits each profile
Before choosing, it helps to note how the account is used in a normal month: how often you withdraw cash and at which ATMs, how many transfers you make, whether you buy on international websites and whether your salary is paid into that account. With those four facts, the CMF fee table lets you estimate the real cost, which can be very different from the monthly maintenance fee. An account with a CLP 0 maintenance fee can be expensive if it charges for each withdrawal at other banks' ATMs, and one with a fee can drop to CLP 0 if deposit conditions are met.
- Receiving your salary with no maintenance fee: CuentaRUT, Cuenta FAN, Coopeuch or Más Lucas without a checking account report CLP 0 maintenance.
- Withdrawing cash often: included withdrawals matter; Más Lucas, Banco Falabella and Banco Ripley report all withdrawals free at their ATMs.
- Paying abroad: Banco Falabella, Banco Ripley and Coopeuch report CLP 0 per purchase; we compare it in our guide on where to buy dollars.
- Minors and teenagers: CuentaRUT (from 12 or 14, with a guardian), Banco de Chile's FAN Clan (14 to 17) and Más Lucas Joven (from 12), according to the CMF.
- Those who want the balance to earn something: Consorcio's Cuenta Más or Más Lucas, the only universally accessible ones that report interest.
Frequently asked questions about demand accounts
What is a demand account?
It is a bank account for receiving, holding and moving money with a debit card, transfers and withdrawals, with no checkbook or credit line. Some banks call it an electronic checkbook or cuenta prima.
Which demand account has no maintenance fee?
According to the CMF, the CuentaRUT, Cuenta FAN, Coopeuch's demand account and Más Lucas without a checking account report a CLP 0 monthly maintenance fee.
What is the difference between a demand account and a checking account?
A checking account can include a checkbook and credit line and usually requires income; a demand account has no checkbook or overdraft and generally does not require income.
From what age can you open a demand account?
It depends on the product: the CuentaRUT from age 12 for women and 14 for men, with a guardian; Más Lucas Joven from 12; and Banco de Chile's FAN Clan between 14 and 17.
Do demand accounts pay interest?
Rarely. In the CMF registry only Consorcio's Cuenta Más (MPR + 0.5%), Santander's Más Lucas (1.92%) and Scotiabank's Cuenta Renta Diaria (0.35%, existing customers only) report interest.
This information is journalistic and educational, not financial advice. Check the conditions and the total cost (CAE) with the institution before signing up.
