Several Capital One Cards Hopping Between Visa, Mastercard

Several prominent credit cards issued by Capital One are undergoing changes for new cardholders, including switching between the Visa and Mastercard processing networks, as well as getting revised card designs.

Overall, the changes are minor for potential new applicants. The differences probably won’t affect whether you apply for a card. A Capital One spokeswoman said the change in networks currently affects only new cardholders, not existing cardholders.

» MORE: Visa vs. Mastercard: Does it make a difference?

Network changes

Cards changing from Visa to Mastercard are:

• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.

• Capital One Spark Miles for Business.

• Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business.

This card is doing the opposite, changing from Mastercard to Visa:

• Journey Student Rewards from Capital One (As of May 2023, this card is no longer on the market).

To reflect the changes, all are getting revised card designs, except the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which does not feature the network logo on the front. As before, a new card design will be shared between the Capital One Spark Miles for Business and the Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business.

Does the payment network matter?

Among the major payment networks, Visa and Mastercard are quite similar, with generally the same level of acceptance in the U.S. and abroad. In day-to-day use, you won’t notice a difference.

The issuing bank — in this case, Capital One — matters more because it decides primary features of the card, such as rewards, benefits, fees and interest rates. For existing cardholders, it’s a bigger deal when your credit card changes issuers, which isn't happening here.

Still, it's true that certain supplemental benefits provided by Visa and Mastercard differ, and you can read about them here:

• The three levels of Visa benefits.

• The three levels of Mastercard benefits.

Capital One didn’t give a specific reason for the changes, although issuers are known to continually assess partnerships and make changes for business reasons.

» MORE: Does a change in your credit card affect your credit score?

New sign-up bonuses

Two Capital One business cards will receive new sign-up bonuses because limited-time offers are expiring. The new bonuses:

• Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. The previous bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months and earn 150,000 bonus miles when you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of your account opening.

• Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Earn a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. The previous bonus: Earn a $500 cash bonus when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months and earn $1,500 when you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of your account opening.