U.S. Bank announced on July 29, 2026 that it is winding down the Kroger
co-brand credit card program and moving those accounts to the U.S. Bank
Smartly Visa. U.S. Bank keeps ownership and servicing of the accounts, and
the bank says the transition should be finished this fall. Cardholders have
already been notified directly.
U.S. Bank stopped taking new applications for the Kroger cards in May 2026,
so this closes out the program rather than starting a new phase of it.
What cardholders can expect
Replacement cards are going out between August and October 2026, and no
action is required to receive one. Existing balances move to the new account
at the same APR, credit limits carry over unchanged, and rewards balances
transfer as well.
The Smartly Visa Signature has no annual fee and earns 2% cash back on
every purchase with no categories to track. Converted cardholders get an
extra 1% at grocery stores and gas stations for the first 12 months,
which puts those categories at 3% during the first year.
What goes away
The Kroger specific perks do not survive the conversion. The 5 cents per
gallon discount at Kroger Fuel Centers stops once the Smartly card is
activated, and the complimentary Boost membership ends at its current
expiration date rather than renewing.
The people who lose the most here are cardholders who paid through Kroger Pay
or a mobile wallet to reach the old card's higher grocery earn rate. A flat
2% everywhere is simpler, but it does not replace a category rate built
specifically around shopping at Kroger.