The Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) has declared a 4.1% dividend for its Simpan SSPN savings scheme for the financial year ended 31 December 2025, the highest rate the scheme has paid out in 11 years.

The total payout comes to RM505.68 million, distributed across 6.07 million depositors. That is up from RM439.87 million paid out the previous year, when the dividend rate stood at 4.05%.

Returns Driven By Shariah-Compliant Investments

The dividend was generated through a mix of short- and long-term shariah-compliant instruments, including domestic money market placements and sukuk. PTPTN chairman Datuk Seri Norliza Abdul Rahim said the fund maintained a prudent investment strategy that preserved capital while delivering competitive returns.

Historically, Simpan SSPN’s dividend rates have ranged between 2.5% and 4.25%. The last time the rate reached this level was during the 2012 to 2014 period, when the scheme peaked at 4.25%.

Two Plans, With A Tax Relief Benefit

Simpan SSPN operates under two plans. Simpan SSPN Prime focuses on straightforward education savings, while Simpan SSPN Plus adds takaful protection and structured monthly contributions.

If you are a contributor, you can also claim up to RM8,000 in annual personal income tax relief on your deposits, separate from the dividend itself.

Deposits And Account Numbers Both Grew In 2025

Total deposits into Simpan SSPN reached RM3.33 billion in 2025, up from RM3.17 billion the year before. The scheme’s cumulative deposits now stand at RM23.88 billion since its inception in 2004, with more than 500,000 new accounts opened during the year. Total dividends paid out since launch have reached RM2.63 billion.

If you are an existing depositor, you can check your dividend earnings through the myPTPTN application starting 7 May.

Strong Dividend, But The Rate Moves With Market Conditions

The 4.1% rate sits near the upper end of what the scheme has historically paid, and the income tax relief on contributions makes it more useful than a straightforward savings account comparison would suggest.

The dividend rate is not fixed, though. The scheme’s history shows rates can fall well below 4% depending on market conditions and fund performance, so it works better as a long-term education savings option rather  than as a predictable year-on-year return on investment. If you are weighing it against fixed-rate options, like fixed deposit accounts, that variability is the main trade-off.

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Christina Chandra

Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister’s cats.

About THE AUTHOR

Christina Chandra

Christina Chandra

Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister's cats.

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