Capital One Discover Card Sucks
Capital One Discover Card Sucks - Expats, International Businessmen and U.S. Military are complaining and frustrated worldwide with the change from MasterCard to Discover Card.
I for one cannot use the ATM any more at the Bank fo China since Capital One switched from MasterCard to Discover Card.
Upon searching ChatGPT about the Capital One Discover Card, I learned the following below reiterating the stupidity of Capital One to make the switch, because in practice Discover Card does not work in most overseas nations.
Upon calling Capital One on the phone and speaking to Capital One bank reps for hours about the matter, all they do is send an email and document customer complaints and forward them internally to management for review, but nothing gets done to resolve the issue and a cheap apology is insufficient.
I therefore have filed formal complaints against Capital One with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau. You should too! Make some noise and join me in a class action lawsuit against Capital One who has not consulted we the customers before making this unnecessary changing, thereby locking our money in their bank, freezing our accounts, and hindering us from accessing our hard earned income while living and working overseas.
Does Discover debit card work at any banks in China? I recently found it does not work at Bank of China. Does Alipay work in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan?
Here’s what you need to know about using a Discover debit card in China and using Alipay in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan:
🏦 Discover Debit Card in China
1. UnionPay Partnership
Discover (including Discover debit and credit products) has a reciprocal network agreement with China UnionPay, China’s national bankcard network. This means in theory Discover-branded cards can be processed on the UnionPay network in China (for POS and ATMs) because UnionPay will accept them. Discover® Global Network+1
2. Practical Reality
However:
Many travelers report limited or inconsistent acceptance of Discover debit cards at Chinese ATMs and point-of-sale terminals, even if the networks are technically linked. This may be one reason your card didn’t work at Bank of China ATMs. Reddit
Discover’s own international acceptance tools often focus on credit cards, and debit card acceptance abroad is much more limited than with Visa/Mastercard debit cards. Many users say the Discover debit card tends to work well mainly within the USA, Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean banks but is spotty elsewhere. Reddit
Some ATMs in China will only accept Visa/Mastercard (Plus/Cirrus), and merchant POS terminals might not recognize foreign debit cards even if UnionPay support exists on the backend. Wise
Bottom line:
Even though there is a UnionPay-Discover network tie-up, a Discover debit card does not reliably work at all Chinese banks or ATMs (and often won’t work at merchant terminals). It’s not as seamless or universally accepted as Visa/Mastercard debit cards.
📱 Alipay Usability Outside Mainland China
Hong Kong
AlipayHK: Hong Kong has a local version of Alipay called AlipayHK, tailored for local use with HKD and compliant with Hong Kong financial rules. Mainland Alipay and AlipayHK are distinct apps. Wise
Mainland Chinese Alipay users can make payments in Hong Kong at merchants that accept Alipay (often geared toward tourists), but the everyday Hong Kong version for locals is primarily AlipayHK. Wise
Many merchants support cross-border wallets through Alipay+, meaning your app (if it’s part of Alipay+) or linked wallet might work widely in HK. Business Wire
Summary for Hong Kong:
✔ Alipay is accepted in many stores via Alipay+ or AlipayHK signage.
✘ Standard mainland Alipay app features (like full wallet functions) won’t work the same as in China. Travelers often need AlipayHK or apps on Alipay+ to pay like locals. Wise
Singapore
Singapore supports cross-border e-wallet payments through Alipay+, which lets users of participating digital wallets (including Alipay) pay at many merchants where the service is enabled. Alipay+
Regular mainland Alipay may not be universally accepted by all stores unless they explicitly support Alipay or Alipay+. If a merchant shows Alipay/Alipay+ logos, payment should work. Alipay+
Summary for Singapore:
✔ Alipay payments through Alipay+ are accepted at many merchants.
✘ Standalone mainland Alipay may not work everywhere — acceptance depends on each store’s payment setup.
Japan
Japan also supports Alipay+ at millions of merchants, including shops, restaurants, attractions, and retail stores. Alipay+ enables QR code payments for Alipay users from China (and integrated wallets) across Japan. Alipay+
That means if your Alipay app or mobile wallet is connected via Alipay+, you’ll often be able to pay at places showing the Alipay/Alipay+ logos.
Summary for Japan:
✔ Alipay payments via Alipay+ are widely accepted.
✘ Traditional mainland Alipay alone (without Alipay+) may have more limited acceptance unless linked through these cross-border merchant systems.
🧾 Overall Summary
Service
China (Mainland)
Hong Kong
Singapore
Japan
Discover Debit Card
Limited/spotty; often doesn’t work reliably at ATMs/merchants
✘ Not relevant
✘ Not relevant
✘ Not relevant
Discover Credit Card
Better chance than debit → works where UnionPay or Diners/Discover logos are shown
✔ in many places with UnionPay/Diners acceptance
✔ at merchants supporting UnionPay/Discover
✔ via JCB network (Discover has JCB agreements) Discover® Global Network
Mainland Alipay App
✔ widely accepted
✔ at merchants targeting tourists (but not locally full function)
✔ where Alipay/Alipay+ accepted
✔ where Alipay+ accepted
AlipayHK / Alipay+
✔ AlipayHK via special cross-border features
✔ fully used
✔ widely via Alipay+
✔ widely via Alipay+
🧠 Tips for Travelers
For China, carry a Visa/Mastercard debit or credit card instead of relying on Discover debit.
Use Alipay with an international credit/debit card linked (e.g., Visa/Mastercard) via the app to make QR-code payments more reliable.
In Hong Kong, download AlipayHK (or check if your bank’s wallet supports Alipay+) for easier local use.
In Singapore and Japan, look for the Alipay/Alipay+ QR code at merchants to pay using your mobile wallet.
Capital One Discover Card Sucks
www.PaulFDavis.com - world traveler and international educator
www.Education.us
www.Tinyurl.com/PaulFDavis-Books
Capital One Discover Card Sucks
I for one cannot use the ATM any more at the Bank fo China since Capital One switched from MasterCard to Discover Card.
Upon searching ChatGPT about the Capital One Discover Card, I learned the following below reiterating the stupidity of Capital One to make the switch, because in practice Discover Card does not work in most overseas nations.
Upon calling Capital One on the phone and speaking to Capital One bank reps for hours about the matter, all they do is send an email and document customer complaints and forward them internally to management for review, but nothing gets done to resolve the issue and a cheap apology is insufficient.
I therefore have filed formal complaints against Capital One with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau. You should too! Make some noise and join me in a class action lawsuit against Capital One who has not consulted we the customers before making this unnecessary changing, thereby locking our money in their bank, freezing our accounts, and hindering us from accessing our hard earned income while living and working overseas.
Does Discover debit card work at any banks in China? I recently found it does not work at Bank of China. Does Alipay work in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan?
Here’s what you need to know about using a Discover debit card in China and using Alipay in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan:
🏦 Discover Debit Card in China
1. UnionPay Partnership
Discover (including Discover debit and credit products) has a reciprocal network agreement with China UnionPay, China’s national bankcard network. This means in theory Discover-branded cards can be processed on the UnionPay network in China (for POS and ATMs) because UnionPay will accept them. Discover® Global Network+1
2. Practical Reality
However:
Many travelers report limited or inconsistent acceptance of Discover debit cards at Chinese ATMs and point-of-sale terminals, even if the networks are technically linked. This may be one reason your card didn’t work at Bank of China ATMs. Reddit
Discover’s own international acceptance tools often focus on credit cards, and debit card acceptance abroad is much more limited than with Visa/Mastercard debit cards. Many users say the Discover debit card tends to work well mainly within the USA, Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean banks but is spotty elsewhere. Reddit
Some ATMs in China will only accept Visa/Mastercard (Plus/Cirrus), and merchant POS terminals might not recognize foreign debit cards even if UnionPay support exists on the backend. Wise
Bottom line:
Even though there is a UnionPay-Discover network tie-up, a Discover debit card does not reliably work at all Chinese banks or ATMs (and often won’t work at merchant terminals). It’s not as seamless or universally accepted as Visa/Mastercard debit cards.
📱 Alipay Usability Outside Mainland China
Hong Kong
AlipayHK: Hong Kong has a local version of Alipay called AlipayHK, tailored for local use with HKD and compliant with Hong Kong financial rules. Mainland Alipay and AlipayHK are distinct apps. Wise
Mainland Chinese Alipay users can make payments in Hong Kong at merchants that accept Alipay (often geared toward tourists), but the everyday Hong Kong version for locals is primarily AlipayHK. Wise
Many merchants support cross-border wallets through Alipay+, meaning your app (if it’s part of Alipay+) or linked wallet might work widely in HK. Business Wire
Summary for Hong Kong:
✔ Alipay is accepted in many stores via Alipay+ or AlipayHK signage.
✘ Standard mainland Alipay app features (like full wallet functions) won’t work the same as in China. Travelers often need AlipayHK or apps on Alipay+ to pay like locals. Wise
Singapore
Singapore supports cross-border e-wallet payments through Alipay+, which lets users of participating digital wallets (including Alipay) pay at many merchants where the service is enabled. Alipay+
Regular mainland Alipay may not be universally accepted by all stores unless they explicitly support Alipay or Alipay+. If a merchant shows Alipay/Alipay+ logos, payment should work. Alipay+
Summary for Singapore:
✔ Alipay payments through Alipay+ are accepted at many merchants.
✘ Standalone mainland Alipay may not work everywhere — acceptance depends on each store’s payment setup.
Japan
Japan also supports Alipay+ at millions of merchants, including shops, restaurants, attractions, and retail stores. Alipay+ enables QR code payments for Alipay users from China (and integrated wallets) across Japan. Alipay+
That means if your Alipay app or mobile wallet is connected via Alipay+, you’ll often be able to pay at places showing the Alipay/Alipay+ logos.
Summary for Japan:
✔ Alipay payments via Alipay+ are widely accepted.
✘ Traditional mainland Alipay alone (without Alipay+) may have more limited acceptance unless linked through these cross-border merchant systems.
🧾 Overall Summary
Service
China (Mainland)
Hong Kong
Singapore
Japan
Discover Debit Card
Limited/spotty; often doesn’t work reliably at ATMs/merchants
✘ Not relevant
✘ Not relevant
✘ Not relevant
Discover Credit Card
Better chance than debit → works where UnionPay or Diners/Discover logos are shown
✔ in many places with UnionPay/Diners acceptance
✔ at merchants supporting UnionPay/Discover
✔ via JCB network (Discover has JCB agreements) Discover® Global Network
Mainland Alipay App
✔ widely accepted
✔ at merchants targeting tourists (but not locally full function)
✔ where Alipay/Alipay+ accepted
✔ where Alipay+ accepted
AlipayHK / Alipay+
✔ AlipayHK via special cross-border features
✔ fully used
✔ widely via Alipay+
✔ widely via Alipay+
🧠 Tips for Travelers
For China, carry a Visa/Mastercard debit or credit card instead of relying on Discover debit.
Use Alipay with an international credit/debit card linked (e.g., Visa/Mastercard) via the app to make QR-code payments more reliable.
In Hong Kong, download AlipayHK (or check if your bank’s wallet supports Alipay+) for easier local use.
In Singapore and Japan, look for the Alipay/Alipay+ QR code at merchants to pay using your mobile wallet.
Capital One Discover Card Sucks
www.PaulFDavis.com - world traveler and international educator
www.Education.us
www.Tinyurl.com/PaulFDavis-Books
Capital One Discover Card Sucks
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