PenFed Credit Union is adding another rewards card to its portfolio. Set to debut before the end of 2026, the PenFed Defender Rewards credit card will earn solid rates on everyday purchases but also at military commissaries and exchanges, making it a good fit for military members and their families.
Here’s what we know about the PenFed Defender Rewards card so far.
Rewards
The Defender card will earn the following rewards, which are uncapped:
- 5x points at gas and EV charging stations.
- 3x points at grocery stores, restaurants and streaming services. (The grocery store category includes stores on military bases.)
- 3x points at sporting goods stores.
- 3x points at military commissaries and exchange stores.
- 1x point on all other purchases.
Rewards may be redeemed for Visa debit cards, gift cards, merchandise and travel. PenFed would not not disclose how much a point is worth with the new card, but point values for some of its other cards have historically ranged from around 0.7 cent to 1.7 cents each, depending on the redemption option.
The inclusion of military commissaries and exchanges (as well as sporting good stores) as bonus categories is what separates the PenFed Defender card from its closest sibling, the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card. On most every point, these two cards are identical. But by earning rewards on base, the PenFed Defender makes itself the frontrunner for military members and their families.
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Fees
Like most of PenFed’s other rewards cards, the Defender card won’t charge an annual or foreign transaction fee.
The balance transfer fee is 3%, which is better than the 5% that some other cards charge.
And because the Defender card is issued by a credit union rather than a bank, expect its interest rate to be lower than average. The National Credit Union Administration found that in December 2025, the average interest rate on cards from credit unions was 12.58% compared to 15.27% for banks.
Benefits and perks
The PenFed Defender card will offer some extras to sweeten the deal.
- New cardholders can get a 0% intro APR for 12 months on a balance transfer if the transfer is made within 60 days of account opening. Note, however, that there’s no 0% offer on purchases.
- A welcome bonus worth 15,000 points after spending $1,500 in the first 90 days.
- Cell phone protection. Insurance covers up to $500 per claim for a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period. A $50 deductible applies.
Remember that you must be a PenFed Credit Union member in order to qualify for the Defender or any PenFed credit card. Military membership isn’t required, but you must have a regular savings account or Premium Online Savings account with the credit union.
» NEXT: PenFed Credit Union review
