You may not give much thought to your credit cards unless something goes wrong. The cards are transactional by nature. We rarely form strong bonds with them. Yet credit card companies can still build trust with their customers. By delivering exceptional service, offering fair terms (and low or no fees) and dangling perks, they can stand out from the pack.
USAA, the top credit card issuer in IBD's sixth annual survey of the Most Trusted Financial Companies, has a distinct advantage: Only its members are eligible to apply for its credit card — and only current or former U.S. military service members and their families can become USAA members.
USAA not only topped the credit card category, it ranked first overall on the IBD 2025 List Of The 30 Most Trusted Financial Companies. And USAA divisions account for four of the top 10 spots on that list.
USAA's Card Offerings Keep Evolving
USAA was founded in 1922 and started off selling auto insurance to its members. Over the past century, it has expanded into other insurance products as well as launching USAA Federal Savings Bank.
The company began issuing credit cards in 1984. Since then, USAA's credit card product lineup has expanded to include cash back features, low-rate offerings and travel-focused perks.
"We offer a variety of products to serve members wherever they are in their credit journey and are continually evolving our offerings to better meet their needs," said Shweta Jain, USAA's assistant vice president of product management, credit cards. "Recently, we sought to give our members even greater flexibility in how they earn and spend rewards with our new Shop with Rewards program that enables them to redeem points for everyday purchases at the point of sale."
Offered at select gas stations and retailers, the program has helped drive a 50% increase in the total volume of reward point redemptions compared with preprogram figures, Jain says.
Because many USAA credit card holders also buy their auto insurance from the same San Antonio-based company, they can reap savings across different products. For example, USAA offers a $200 auto deductible reimbursement benefit to qualifying Preferred Cash credit card holders. That means after a covered loss on their auto policy, they may be eligible to get a $200 reimbursement to cover their auto deductible.
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Survey Methodology: Credit Card Companies
IBD's 2025 list of the Most Trusted Financial Companies is based on a survey in which thousands of people rated their financial service providers on the trust attributes that consumers said were most important to them. Our sister company, MarketWatch, is co-branding the report for a fourth year. The survey was conducted from May to July by IBD's polling partner, TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence.
There were eight categories of companies again in this year's survey: wealth managers, banks, credit cards, ETF/fund companies and online brokers, plus auto, home and life insurers.
This year we saw how customer trust in the financial companies they partner with rose in importance. Our survey respondents told us how much they value the best products and services, and that a company's customer service and ethics earn their trust.
Read Our Business Category Stories On The 2025 Most Trusted Financial Companies In Investing, Insurance And Banking.
4 Most Trusted Credit Card Companies
Among credit card companies, four stood out for customers in our 2025 survey.
They were USAA; American Express; Discover, which was acquired this year by Capital One Financial Corp.; and Chase, part of JPMorgan Chase & Co..
USAA, American Express and Discover also were the top three credit card companies in the 2024 Most Trusted Financial Companies special report.
| Company | Overall rating | Soundness | Quality | Privacy | Ethics | Customer service | Prices | Sensitivity to customer needs | Confidence in mgt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 89.9 | 92.2 | 90.8 | 88.4 | 90.7 | 91.6 | 86.2 | 83.6 | 90.7 |
| American Express | 83.6 | 90.7 | 88 | 88.3 | 79.7 | 86.9 | 61.2 | 71.7 | 86 |
| Discover | 81.2 | 84.8 | 84.2 | 85.3 | 80.4 | 83.2 | 70 | 72.8 | 77.1 |
| Chase | 77.4 | 89 | 80.1 | 80.3 | 73.4 | 77.4 | 60.8 | 64.3 | 75.9 |
Teaching Teens About Credit Cards
USAA has a loyal following among its members, partly due to its consistently reliable — and highly personalized — customer service. For instance, it welcomes new cardholders with open arms and engaging educational outreach.
Jerry Papin, a retired financial advisor, is a longtime USAA member. He bought auto insurance from the company in the late 1980s and added home insurance — and a USAA credit card — years later.
When it was time for his teenage daughter to get her first credit card, Papin suggested that she contact USAA.
"They've been outstanding in providing support for her," said Papin, who lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho. "They helped her set up auto-pay and said, 'Here's how your credit card works. Here's what you need to know and what to watch out for.'"
Given his financial background, Papin marveled at how USAA handled the call.
"They explained so many things to my daughter," Papin said. "And they explained these things better than I could have done it and I'm a retired financial advisor!"
One of the ways that USAA earns the trust of its cardholders is by responding quickly to their concerns.
"They're fantastic with customer service," said Dan Garber, a longtime USAA member and credit card customer in Boerne, Texas.
Garber admires USAA's vigilance in preventing fraud. When he dealt with an identity theft issue a few years ago, USAA proved invaluable.
"They were extremely proactive with text messages and calls," he recalled. "They know your (spending) patterns and when my card was compromised, they were Johnny-on-the-spot."
Recognizing Customers For Their Service
Trust and respect go hand-in-hand. USAA's customer service representatives show their respect for members by routinely acknowledging their military service.
David Sharbutt, a USAA member for 45 years, retired from the U.S. Marine Corps. Whenever he calls USAA, he appreciates how its employees thank him for his service and refer to his rank, chief warrant officer.
"They go the extra mile with their exceptional service," said Sharbutt, who lives in Whittier, Calif. "I wish all companies I deal with could be as good as USAA."
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IBD's special reports are objective and data-based. This independent special report is produced by the IBD editorial team. There is no sponsored content, nor are there any commission links. A company cannot apply to get on this list, and there are no fees.
