Eagle Ascend™ Credit Card
- Best for: USAA members new to credit who want cash back without a deposit
- What Sets It Apart: 2% that moves each month to the eligible category you spend most in; one late fee waived automatically every 12 billing periods
- Welcome Offer: Statement credit of up to $98, plus tax, for an annual Walmart+ membership bought online with the card by May 31, 2027
- Rewards: 2% on your top category each calendar month among eight, such as dining, gas, and groceries; 1% on everything else; no cap
- Features: Cell phone protection up to $500 when the card pays your phone bill
- Annual Fee: $0
- Security Deposit: $0
- APR: 27.65% variable; no intro or penalty APR
- Cost: 5% balance transfer fee; no foreign transaction fee; 5% cash advance fee; late fee up to $35
- Eligibility: USAA membership, free through your own military service or a spouse’s or parent’s
- Pros: No annual fee or deposit; nothing to pick or activate; a credit limit increase review as soon as six months after opening
- Cons: Only one category earns 2% a month; no 0% intro period; no sign-up bonus beyond the Walmart+ credit
Get the Eagle Ascend™ Credit Card if you’re a USAA member building credit and want cash back with no annual fee or deposit. It pays 2% on your top eligible category each month. If your credit is already solid, apply for the Eagle Adapt, which pays 3% on the same categories up to $3,000 a quarter.
USAA launched the Eagle Ascend in July 2026 for members new to credit or still building it, and it takes no security deposit. Only USAA members can apply, and membership is free to those who qualify through their own military service or a spouse’s or parent’s.
Key Features
- 2% cash back on your top category each calendar month among eight: dining, gas and EV charging, groceries, health and wellness, home improvement and furnishings, live entertainment and streaming, transit, and travel
- 1% on everything else, with no cap on either rate
- One-time statement credit of up to $98, plus tax, for an annual Walmart+ membership bought online with the card by May 31, 2027
- Variable annual percentage rate (APR) of 27.65%, with no intro rate
- No annual fee, foreign transaction fee, or penalty rate after a late payment
Pros
- No annual fee or security deposit while you build credit
- The 2% rate goes to your top eligible category automatically, with nothing to pick or activate
- A credit limit increase review as soon as six months after opening, if you pay on time
- One late fee waived automatically every 12 billing periods, though the late payment can still be reported to the credit bureaus
Cons
- Only your top category earns 2% each month
- No 0% intro period, so any balance you carry gets the full 27.65% rate right away
- No sign-up bonus beyond the Walmart+ credit, while USAA’s other cash back cards offer one
- Costco, Sam’s Club, and some discount stores don’t count as grocery stores
- Walmart+ renews at $98 a year unless you cancel it
The Eagle Ascend is worth getting for members building credit who pay in full each month, since it earns cash back without an annual fee or deposit. Members with a solid credit history should get the Eagle Adapt, which pays 3% on the same eight categories up to $3,000 a quarter and, by our math, earns more unless one category alone tops $2,000 a month.
Learn more about the Eagle Ascend™ Credit Card or see how it compares to the best USAA credit cards.
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