Business

Capital One customers may qualify for $425 million settlement payout

Americans have been paying closer attention to their savings accounts, seeking to get the most out of high-yield accounts.

For years, many consumers accepted low yields on savings because not many better options existed.

But as the banks began competing more aggressively for deposits with higher-yield savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and money-market products, customers also became more vigilant.

Customers are more aware of how much interest they were earning and whether their bank was offering the same rate as other account holders.

That question is now at the center of a major Capital One settlement.

A federal court has granted final approval to a $425 million class-action settlement involving Capital One 360 Savings accounts.

The lawsuit alleged that Capital One failed to raise interest rates on its 360 Savings account in line with rates paid on its 360 Performance Savings account.

It also alleged that the bank deceptively marketed the 360 Savings account and concealed that it was no longer Capital One's high-yield online savings account, as well as the existence of the higher-rate 360 Performance Savings account.

Capital One has denied wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to resolve the litigation.

Capital One customers may qualify for payments

The class action lawsuit was first filed in 2023, alleging that Capital One opened a new account, 360 Performance Savings, in 2019.

This new account offered higher interest rates than the 360 Savings account, but the bank failed to inform customers of the new account and continued operating the previous, lower-interest account.

More Personal Finance:

Meanwhile, Capital One stopped offering new 360 Savings accounts, removing all references to it from its website, and substituted it with 360 Performance Savings.

But it did not advise its legacy account holders about the new, higher-yielding account, which lost out on interest payments that "Capital One should have paid."

And over time, "interest rates on the two accounts diverged substantially, leaving 360 Savings customers behind," mentions the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that Capital One breached the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and that the $425 million Settlement Fund, approved by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, will now be used to pay customers.

The settlement applies to people who are or were Capital One 360 Savings account holders at any time from Sept. 18, 2019, through June 16, 2025.

Eligible customers do not need to file a claim form to receive a payment. All settlement class members are automatically eligible to receive a class cash payment from the settlement fund.

That is important because many class-action settlements require people to submit claims before they can receive money.

However, customers could choose to get paid electronically instead of a mailed check. The deadline to choose a payment method was March 30, 2026.

If customers did not choose electronic payment and their payment is $5 or more, a check will be mailed to their last known address. If the payment is less than $5, customers will receive it only if they selected electronic payment.

The settlement administrator has not yet determined the amount of each class cash payment, which will depend on how much money you had in the account and how much extra interest it would have earned.

JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock

When will Capital One settlement payments be sent?

The court granted final approval of the settlement on April 20, 2026.

If no appeal is filed, payments are expected to be issued on or about July 27, 2026, and if an appeal is filed, payments will be issued after the appeal is resolved.

The approved deal replaces an earlier proposed settlement that was rejected by the court and increases the total amount available to customers from $300 million to $425 million.

The settlement website also notes that current and former 360 Savings account holders were previously notified of an earlier proposed settlement, but that deal was not approved. The new settlement provides enhanced benefits and more money to the settlement class.

The settlement administrator has also advised customers about scams, stating that it will never ask for their Social Security number or employer identification number. If someone requests that information, the request is not from the settlement administrator.

That warning matters because large settlements often attract scammers trying to impersonate administrators or banks.

Why the settlement matters

Savings accounts became a bigger focus for consumers after years of unusually low yields.

Many banks used higher-rate savings products to attract deposits, but customers with older accounts sometimes earned much less than customers in newer products.

The Capital One case highlights that difference.

The settlement is designed to compensate eligible customers for part of the interest they may have earned if their accounts had paid higher rates.

Additionally, customers with an existing 360 Savings account will now be eligible for higher interest rates, similar to those offered in a 360 Performance Savings account.

The higher rate will be applied automatically to eligible existing 360 Savings accounts going forward.

The new 360 Savings settlement is separate from Capital One's earlier data breach settlement.

That older settlement stemmed from Capital One's 2019 cyberattack, when an attacker gained unauthorized access to the personal information of about 98 million U.S. consumers.

The data breach settlement's claim filing period, payment reissue period, and other administrative options are now closed.

The only active benefits currently available under that settlement are Identity Defense Services and Restoration Services, which have been extended through Feb. 13, 2028.

Related: Morgan Stanley has blunt message for stock market investors

The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.

This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 6:03 PM.

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER