“We have notified some Capital One Quicksilver and QuicksilverOne cardholders that their cards will now run on Capital One’s Discover network,” the bank says. “With their new cards, these customers will earn unlimited 3% cash back rewards at grocery stores and gas stations, in addition to the unlimited 1.5% cash back they earn on all other purchases. New cards will be mailed to these customers in May.”
If you’re among those affected by the updates, you should have received a notification from the issuer, according to a statement Capital One shared in an email. The transition is not mandatory; you can contact Capital One to opt out of the change and keep your current card with its existing rewards.
A timely update for many customers …
Future applicants may also be approved on Discover’s network. “Customers are informed of their card network and product terms during the application process before they apply,” said a Capital One spokesperson in an email.
But for those who are affected now, it’s largely welcome news, especially at a time when prices are soaring on gas and groceries.
A rate of 3% back in those major line-item spending categories is a great deal on a $0-annual-fee card like the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, and the fact that it will retain its 1.5% back on other purchases is also ideal. (Many cash-back cards that feature bonus categories limit you to just 1% back on those “other purchases.”) It puts the card on more equal footing with some of the best cash-back credit cards on the market.
It’s arguably even better news for the $39-annual-fee Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, which is meant for those with less-than-ideal credit. It’s not easy to find cards in that segment of the market offering 3% back on major purchases.
… And a long-overdue refresh for any Quicksilver card
The venerable Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card was a trendsetter when it launched 13 years ago.
At the time, in January 2013, earning “1.5% cash back on every purchase” — as you’ve likely heard Samuel L. Jackson repeat in Capital One’s ubiquitous ads for the product — was an uncommon and excellent rewards rate, and it forced a market shift as other large banks played catchup. Over the ensuing years, Wells Fargo, American Express, Chase, Bank of America® and others rolled out their own similar 1.5% cash-back cards, and it became the industry gold standard.
But the tables have turned in recent years, and the Quicksilver stalwart has grown stale. These days, a flat 2% cash-back rate has become more common, leading many card issuers to either update their 1.5% cards or remove them from the market entirely. Meanwhile, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has remained largely the same product it was in 2013.
What the move from Mastercard to Discover means
Both of the Quicksilver cards currently run on the Mastercard payment network. But when Capital One bought Discover in May 2025, it was widely expected that the bank would begin moving some of its credit cards to that network, and this is the first big domino to fall.
Mastercard and Discover are two of the four major payment networks (along with Visa and American Express) in the United States. These networks process payments between banks and merchants for credit card purchases. Visa and Mastercard are the largest of the four by far, accounting for more than 80% of market share combined.
Discover’s footprint is the smallest of the four, though, and that could be one of the few drawbacks for affected cardholders. While Discover cards enjoy broad acceptance at merchants across the U.S., international acceptance is much more limited than Visa or Mastercard. Still, that may not be a good enough reason to opt out, considering the rewards you’ll leave on the table.
If your Quicksilver card ends up moving from Mastercard to Discover, you should consider packing a backup credit card when you travel abroad, just in case.
