Which is the most used credit card in the USA?

Visa

Current design

The front of the card is identical to a Visa credit card, with the addition of the words "DEBIT" or "DEBIT CARD". On the back, cards issued before October '04 display the Delta logo, and usually also a cheque guarantee logo.

New design

As of mid 2006 VISA are now removing their trademark "flag" logo from all their cards, websites and retailers' windows. It will be the first time that VISA have been without this logo since the company was founded.

For all Delta cards, the new logo will be a simple white background with the name VISA in blue with an orange flick on the 'V' (as above). This will be immediately followed by the word "Debit". This signals a definite end of "Visa Delta" and there are very few of these old cards left to be replaced.

For the new VISA and VISA Electron logo, see the relevant pages.

System

The card can be used just like a Visa credit card both internationally and in the UK. Retailers in some countries can however accept the card as a debit card rather than a normal Visa card. In this case, the store is not charged a percentage, but rather a small fixed charge of around 50p (~US$1) per transaction. All transactions are in any case processed through the Visa clearing system, using the same card number, distinguishing it from other national debit card schemes which can be combined with Visa on a credit card.

Logo

Visa is now in the final stages of replacing the Visa Delta name with Visa Debit. Visa Delta is no longer mentioned on their website and most card issuers and merchants are now removing the logo from display, although it is still widely printed on merchants receipts (even in the Republic of Ireland, where Visa Delta cards were never issued but Visa Debit cards were and still are). The standard Visa logo has always been used for both Visa credit and debit cards but prior to October 2004 the "Delta" symbol would appear on the reverse of the debit card.

Market competition

The only competitor to Visa Debit in the UK debit card market is Maestro, which is issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland/NatWest,Yorkshire Bank, Clydesdale Bank and HSBC. Maestro is an internationally accepted debit card although acceptance is narrower than Visa Debit, and not all cards work everywhere. The UK domestic debit card system is still run by Switch but branded Maestro. Many banking customers (especially those of Halifax Bank Of Scotland, which used to issue Switch cards) tend to refer to Visa Debit as Switch. However, Visa is more widely accepted in the UK and internationally as both Visa credit and debit cards use the Visa clearing system.

History

Contrary to common belief, Visa Delta was the first Debit card in the UK before Switch. Barclays introduced their "Connect" card (June 1987 - later rebranded Delta) shortly before NatWest released their "Switch" card (October 1988).