Chase Points-to-Investing Is Live Now — and IRAs Are Coming in 2027
Chase just launched a game-changer redemption feature for Ultimate Rewards points. As of September 2026, eligible cardholders can turn points into cash and invest it in an eligible J.P. Morgan brokerage account.
Over the past eight years, I’ve earned more than $15,000 in credit card rewards. Some came from welcome offers, the rest from everyday spending on cards I already carry.
Here’s the embarrassing part. I don’t really have much to show for it. I spent nearly all of it on fun stuff like trips and shopping splurges.
Now imagine for a second what I’d have if I invested all that reward money instead? That $15K might be worth $20K or even $25K by now. And I’m only 40 years old… If I left it invested (and added more rewards over time) there’s a real shot I could be sitting on a six-figure portfolio in my 60s — just from credit card rewards.
How the new invest-your-points feature works
First, you’ll need an eligible Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points.
Plenty of popular cards qualify, including the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, our pick for the Best Cash Back Credit Card of 2026. The eligible lineup spans the Chase Sapphire, Freedom, and Ink Business card families.
To redeem points for investing, open up the Chase app or go to your web portal and look for “Invest Your Points” under the redemption options.
Each point you redeem converts to $0.01 — for example, 50,000 points would become $500.
Once you redeem, the cash lands directly in an eligible linked J.P. Morgan investing account.
This new feature currently works with taxable J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing accounts, custodial accounts, and trust accounts. It offers commission-free online trades on stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and Treasuries, with no account minimum. IRAs and retirement rollovers are slated for 2027. It also won our award for Best Broker for Investing Credit Card Rewards for 2026.
And right now, you can get a cash bonus up to $1,000 when you open and fund a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account. The amount of your cash bonus depends on your deposit amount. You can get started by clicking the “Learn More” link below.
Why investing your points can beat spending them
Invested points can grow for decades, while spent points are gone the moment your trip ends. That’s the whole case in one sentence.
I’m an investing nerd, so I’ll show you the math and growth potential. The S&P 500 has returned close to 10% a year since 1928, according to Motley Fool research.
Here’s what a single $1,000 points redemption could look like if you leave it alone at that pace.
|
Time Invested |
Future Value of $1,000 in Points |
|---|---|
|
10 years |
about $2,600 |
|
20 years |
about $6,700 |
|
30 years |
about $17,400 |
Data source: Author’s calculations
Returns like this aren’t guaranteed, of course. The stock market goes up and down like a yo-yo — but over the long run things tend to trend upwards.
Now picture my $15,000 in rewards compounding like that, instead of living on in old boarding passes. 🤦♂️
The existing redemption options still have their place
All the classic Chase point redemption options are still available.
Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for travel bookings with Chase Travel, or transferred to airline and hotel partners. This can stretch the value past simple $0.01 per point for cash back.
So it comes down to how you actually use points. If you love to travel and enjoy hunting outsized redemptions, keep doing what you’re doing.
But if your rewards keep piling up unused, the invest option finally gives them a job.
Where I’d start with the invest option
Those old rewards of mine are gone, but the next batch can go to work instead of disappearing.
Cashing points into a taxable account makes sense today, and with IRAs coming in 2027, the long game only gets better.