Credit card

A credit card is a payment card, usually issued by a bank, allowing its users to purchase goods or services or withdraw cash on credit. Using the card thus accrues debt that has to be repaid later.[1] Credit cards are one of the most widely used forms of payment across the world.[2]

Part of a series on financial services
Banking
Types of banks Advising Banq Bulge bracket Central Commercial Community development Cooperative Credit union Custodian Depository Development Direct Export credit agency Investment Industrial Merchant Middle market Mutual savings National Neobank Offshore Participation Payments Postal savings Private Public Retail Savings Savings and loan Universal Wholesale Bank holding company Lists of banks
Accounts · Cards Accounts Christmas club Deposit Money-market Savings Time deposit (Bond) Transaction (checking / current) Cards ATM Credit Debit Prepaid
Funds transfer Cheque Card Electronic Bill payment Mobile Wire RTGS NS ACH Instant payment Giro SWIFT Correspondent account CLS CIPS SPFS BRICS PAY
Terms Automated teller machine Bank regulation Loan Mobile banking Money creation Bank secrecy Ethical banking Fractional-reserve banking Full-reserve banking Islamic banking Private banking
Related topics Financial market (participants) Corporate finance Personal finance Public finance Financial law Financial regulation List of banks
Category Commons Portal
v t e

A regular credit card is different from a charge card, which requires the balance to be repaid in full each month or at the end of each statement cycle.[3] In contrast, credit cards allow the consumers to build a continuing balance of debt, subject to interest being charged. A credit card differs from a charge card also in that a credit card typically involves a third-party entity that pays the seller and is reimbursed by the buyer, whereas a charge card simply defers payment by the buyer until a later date. A credit card also differs from a debit card, which can be used like currency by the owner of the card.

As of June 2018, there were 7.753 billion credit cards in the world.[4] In 2020, there were 1.09 billion credit cards in circulation in the U.S and 72.5% of adults (187.3 million) in the country had at least one credit card.[5][6][7][8]