Asked by ..

Why do banks charge interest on loans?

To increase deposits

To earn profit

To pay taxes

To discourage borrowing

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Correct answer: To earn profit.

Brief explanation: Interest is the price of borrowing. Banks charge it to cover their cost of funds (what they pay depositors), operating costs, loan losses and inflation, and to make a return (profit). The other choices are not primary reasons: charging interest doesn't primarily increase deposits, it isn't meant to pay taxes (taxes are paid out of profits), and while high interest can discourage borrowing, that is a side effect, not the purpose.