Credit card

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Visa and MasterCard are two of the most prominent types of credit cards.

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Banking in the United States
Monetary policy
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Credit card
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An example of the front in a typical credit card:

1. Issuing Bank Logo
2. EMV chip (only on "smart cards")
3. Hologram
4. Personal Account Number
5. Card Brand Logo
6. Expiration Date
7. Card Holder Name
8. Contactless Chip

An example of the reverse side of a typical credit card:

1. Magnetic Stripe
2. Signature Strip
3. Card Security Code

A credit card is a payment card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows the cardholder to pay for goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for them.^[1] The issuer of the card creates a revolving account and grants a line of credit to the consumer (or the user) from which the user can borrow money for payment to a merchant or as a cash advance to the user.
A credit card is different from a charge card: a charge card requires the balance to be paid in full each month.^[2] In contrast, credit cards allow the consumers a continuing balance of debt, subject to interest being charged. A credit card also differs from a cash card, which can be used like currency by the owner of the card. 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.
The size of most credit cards is 3 ⅜ × 2 ⅛ in (85.60 × 53.98 mm),^[3] conforming to the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 standard. Credit cards have an embossed bank card number complying with the ISO/IEC 7812 numbering standard. Both of these standards are maintained and further developed by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 17/WG 1