SSA says Direct Express is moving to Fifth Third Bank as financial agent

The Social Security Administration says Direct Express is moving to Fifth Third Bank as its financial agent, marking a change for the federal benefits prepaid debit card program.

According to SSA, the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service selected Fifth Third to replace Comerica Bank in the role. Direct Express also says Fifth Third will take over as the program’s financial agent.

SSA said new enrollments with Fifth Third begin in May 2026. The agency added that existing Direct Express customers will start transitioning in summer 2026.

Direct Express is used by people who receive federal benefits and do not use a traditional bank account. The move means the program will shift to a new servicing bank over the coming months, although the agencies have not yet published a detailed timetable for all current cardholders.

The announcement follows Fifth Third’s earlier statement that it had been selected to manage the Direct Express program. Treasury previously announced a different bank for the role in 2024, but SSA’s latest notice confirms the Fifth Third transition now being made public for cardholders.

More details are expected as the rollout begins for new users and the transfer for existing customers gets underway.