New: More AI capabilities, deeper security, digital life cover, and access to Vitality Health for Discovery Bank clients

Discovery Bank's CEO, Hylton Kallner today announced a major development of Discovery Bank's AI-powered' banking capabilities, along with new security and servicing enhancements, streamlined access to life insurance, and a rewards partnership with DStv, as we continue to build a single, intelligent digital banking platform for everyday banking, protection and rewards.

The updates form part of Discovery Bank's next phase of development as a 'super bank' - a model that brings banking, lifestyle rewards, insurance and investments together in one digital experience. Watch the recording of the launch event and keep reading to find out more about all of the exciting new updates and features Discovery Bank clients can expect in the next few weeks.

Missed the event? Watch it here right now

How Discovery AI is helping clients sign up and make payments

Discovery AI, a smart banking assistant introduced in 2025 through a dedicated WhatsApp channel, is now available in the Discovery Bank app and allows our clients to engage with it with voice, image and text inputs. Discovery AI helps more than 200 clients every hour with questions, resolves up to 55% of queries in the first interaction with clear answers in under 30 seconds in most cases.

While signing up for a Discovery Bank account is already fast and fully digital, verifying documents used to sometimes slow applications. Now when you sign up for a Discovery Bank account, Discovery AI checks your document accuracy and guides you through what you need to correct in real time. It is also changing how our clients make payments. You can now simply take a photo of an invoice or text who to pay, how much and what for, and Discovery AI will complete the transaction.

Discovery AI also recommends the next best action most suitable to you - whether it is setting personalised goals such as creating debit orders, activating virtual cards or managing a budget - helping you improve your financial behaviour and unlock more rewards.

Enhanced security that protects you in banking and life

As fraudsters become smarter in their efforts to target our clients, Discovery Bank has continued to invest in a layered set of real-time security features, including proactive fraud alerts and enhanced card and device controls that work together to reduce risk and give our clients greater control.

TRUST Alert, which was introduced in 2025, is now being expanded across more payment types, with the ability to block transactions if you're on a call to prevent social engineering scams, and to place accounts into a secured defence mode instantly when a serious threat is detected.

New partners and rewards: DStv, Exclusive Books and Old School

Hylton Kallner also announced DStv as our new rewards partner, adding to our growing network of everyday partners our clients have access to. From May 2026, our clients can earn up to 50% back in Ðiscovery Miles on DStv packages in a limited offer, whether using a decoder or DStv Stream, when they pay their subscriptions by debit order or card from a qualifying Discovery Bank account.

Exclusive Books and Old School have joined the Discovery Miles+ Network, giving our clients even more places to earn Ðiscovery Miles at a selection of home, fashion and lifestyle partners.

admyt is now a permanent Discovery Bank partner offering our clients smart, ticketless parking without having to worry about paper tickets, pay stations or queues. When you link your Discovery Bank card to the admyt app and spend at least R250 with your Discovery Bank card in-store, you get your parking fee back in Ðiscovery Miles.

Find out more about admyt and Discovery Bank here.

Discovery products and investment solutions in a single app

The Discovery Bank app allows our clients to access their full Discovery product portfolio in one place. They can activate short-term insurance, get life cover, and manage their Discovery Invest plans in the app. They can even access shares and ETFs through a linked EasyEquities account, and trade cryptocurrencies through Luno - with clients now being able to not only link an existing Luno account, but create a new account directly in the app.

Our clients can now also get short-term insurance from Discovery Insure and add a Digital Life Plan with up to R3 million life cover in a matter of minutes on the Discovery Bank app. They can access their policy from the banking app and track their financial rewards. Plus, they will also earn up to 20% of their premiums back in Ðiscovery Miles when they pay their debit order from a Discovery Bank account.

Find out more about the Digital Life Plan here.

Vitality Active for Discovery Bank clients

Last but not the least, Discovery Bank clients will soon be able to join Vitality Health by adding a Vitality Active membership seamlessly through the Discovery Bank app. For only R159 a month, clients can add everyday health and wellness benefits and discounts to their banking experience. Plus, Discovery Bank clients can now also get 14-days free access to a local Virgin Active club of their choice, which they can claim in the Discovery Bank app.

Stay tuned for more updates from Discovery Bank as we bring our clients on the journey to be South Africa's first and best super bank!

The Future of Banking. Now.