In the first half of 2026, this project helped over 4,600 customers improve their credit scores and enhance their financial resilience.

Cleveland, October 29, 2026 / PRNewswire / — KeyBank ( NYSE : KEY ) Today, it was announced that in the first half of 2026, the Key Secured Credit Card ® program had over 4,600 "graduated" clients, who have thereby improved their credit scores and established financial stability. Among these "graduated" clients, 68% completed the program within 12 months, and 85% completed it within 24 months (the data covers the "graduation" periods from January 1 to June 30, 2026).

Among these “graduated” customers, 74% did not have an F-Token Issuance® score when they joined the project, and 26% had a lower F-Token Issuance score at the time of joining. The company stated that initially, customers with lower F-Token Issuance scores saw an average improvement of 86 points; whereas those who did not have a score at the time of joining achieved an average F-Token Issuance score of 724 upon “graduation,” demonstrating the project’s continuous effectiveness in helping customers establish, accumulate, and strengthen their credit records.

Key Secured Credit Card aims to enhance the financial health of eligible customers by providing them with opportunities to establish or improve their credit records; at the same time, it encourages savings during the credit-building process and helps to develop better money-management habits. Once a customer 'graduates', their Key Secured Credit Card is upgraded to an unsecured credit card, and the funds that were originally held as collateral in the Key Active Saver ® account are released.

Since the project was launched in 2019, over 48,000 customers have "graduated" by establishing credit records and proving credit improvement.

KeyBank, the person in charge of consumer payment services, Maria Ponce said: "At Key, we are committed to helping customers understand the importance of building and maintaining a good credit record, as it is a fundamental cornerstone for a stable financial future. By providing education on the importance of establishing a good credit record and also offering tools to achieve this goal, that is precisely what sets Key apart from other banks. It is truly special to be able to participate in this work and witness customers' success year after year."

Over the years, this guarantee card program has been recognized by customers for helping them obtain access to traditional credit solutions provided by Key. KeyBank indicates that earlier this year, customers provided testimonials describing how this program has served as a stepping stone to financial success.

KeyBank indicates that the company is constantly seeking ways to support and enhance the overall customer experience every year, in order to promote customer success.

Communication Upgrade

The company stated that Key has recently introduced tools and training for new cardholders, providing greater clarity and transparency, ultimately helping cardholders to build their credit. Last year, cardholders also received more communication support related to financial education and account usage.

Credit limit increase

As part of the "graduation" process, the company stated that an optimization to the credit limit increase program for eligible customers was launched in 2024. Since then, 10,021 "graduated" customers have received an increase in their credit limits, with 2,052 of them during the first half of 2026. The company mentioned that the higher credit capacity has enhanced the customers' purchasing power and provided additional support for their ongoing financial needs.

Opportunity to access traditional credit products

In addition, the company stated that in June 2025, it launched a new "Application Invitation" promotional campaign targeting "graduated" customers who were preparing to switch to traditional credit cards, covering over 6,100 customers. This ongoing campaign introduces more traditional credit card products to eligible customers, such as the KeyBank Latitude ® and Key Cashback ® credit cards.

Scheduled to be launched in 2027

The company stated that customers will soon be able to participate in the upgraded “Money Me and Key” on-site workshops to better understand the lending ecosystem. In addition to the existing Key Secured Credit Card customers, Key will also expand its audience to other customers seeking assistance. KeyBank indicated that this project has provided this year’s “graduating” customers with the necessary foundation to take control of their own credit, make sound financial decisions, and maintain a healthy F-token issuance rating.

The company stated that since its launch in 2019, the program has helped 48,055 customers improve their credit profiles. Among them, 60% of the "graduated" customers completed the program within 12 months, and 88% completed it within 24 months. Overall, 71% of the "graduated" customers did not have a F-Token Distribution® score when they joined the program, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in helping customers build their credit; 29% of the customers joined with a lower F-Token Distribution score and utilized the program to rebuild their credit. Among those customers who started with a lower F-Token Distribution score, the "graduated" customers saw an average improvement of 70 points. Customers who did not have an F-Token Distribution score when they joined the program achieved an average F-Token Distribution score of 722 upon graduation.

Other features of Key Secured Credit Card include:

• Cardholders can view their F-token issuance scores for free at any time through online banking and mobile banking. The company states that this process is fast, convenient, and will not affect their credit scores.
• With the temporary card lock security feature of Key, cardholders can more conveniently lock and unlock their lost credit cards through online banking or mobile banking, thereby reducing the likelihood of canceling an old card and applying for a new one, and avoiding potential damage to their credit score.
• Key Secured Credit Card requires the payment of a refundable deposit, which determines the customer's credit limit. The initial amount of the deposit is $300. During the period of establishing credit, the customer's Key Secured Credit Card deposit must be kept in the Key Active Saver account, allowing users to simultaneously build credit and save money. Key indicates that Key Secured Credit Card customers can be exempted from the monthly maintenance service fee for their Key Active Saver account. In addition, the Key Secured Credit Card annual fee is $0. The company states that, unlike prepaid cards or debit cards, secured credit cards report the customer's credit history to credit reporting agencies, thereby allowing customers to demonstrate their progress. For more information, please visit: https :// www.key.com / personal / credit-cards / key-secured-credit-card.jsp.

All credit products must undergo credit approval.

1 Based on internal analysis of customers who 'graduated' from this guarantee card program in 2026. The average F-Token Issue® score of 724 mentioned in the text represents the arithmetic average of the F-Token Issue® scores at the time of account opening for those customers. An average improvement of 86 points reflects the average change in F-Token Issue® scores from the time of account opening to the time of 'graduation'. The results are based on historical data; individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.

In the case of paying the minimum repayment amount monthly before the due date, using Key Secured Credit Card can help build credit.

Customers who newly open a credit card account may not be able to see their first F-Token Issuance® score in online banking and mobile banking for up to 90 days after registration. In some cases, the F-Token Issuance® score may not be available for various reasons, such as limited credit history. F-Token Issuance is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.

The prerequisite for opening Key Secured Credit Card is that funds have been appropriately deposited into a Key Active Saver account held solely by the customer. Key Secured Credit Card requires credit approval. This credit card must be guaranteed by a minimum deposit of $300 and a maximum deposit of $5,000 in the Key Active Saver account. The Key Active Saver account must be funded within 30 days after opening. Key indicates that Key Secured Credit Card customers are exempt from the monthly maintenance service fee for the Key Active Saver account. This exemption is only valid as long as the Key Secured Credit Card account remains open and in good standing, subject to the terms of the cardholder agreement ( https :// www.key.com / about / misc / leaving.html ? to / mastercard + zeroliability ). If the Key Secured Credit Card account is closed or converted to an unsecured credit card, a monthly maintenance service fee of $4.00 may apply, unless the customer holds a KeyBank consumer check account (including KeyBank Hassle - Free Account ®).

About KeyCorp

The history of KeyCorp can be traced back to Albany, New York, over 200 years ago. The company's headquarters are located in Cleveland, Ohio. As of September 30, 2026, Key is one of the largest bank-based financial services companies in the United States, with assets of approximately $193 billion.

In the name of KeyBank National Association, Key provides deposit, loan, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses through approximately 950 branches and around 1,100 ATM in 15 states. Key also offers a range of complex corporate and investment banking products to mid-market companies in selected industries in the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets brand, including M&A advisory services, public and private debt and equity financing, syndicated financing, and derivatives. For more information, please visit: https:// www.key.com. KeyBank is a member of FDIC.

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