信用卡(credit card)
一种小卡片，上有持卡人的签名，允许持卡人购买货物或劳务，商店将应付款项记入其个人帐户，定期开具帐单收款。信用卡不同於签帐卡，後者会自动从持卡人的银行帐户中扣款。信用卡在1920年代首先在美国使用，当时有的公司（如石油公司和连锁旅馆）发行信用卡，供顾客用以购买其所属分支单位的产品或劳务。第一种可在各种商号使用的信用卡是1950年发行的大来卡。1958年发行的美国运通卡流通甚广，在各类公司如旅馆、餐厅、商店等皆可使用；银行於收到商人售货帐单时，将款项记入商人的贷方，而於期末将帐款汇总开具总帐单送交持卡人，由持卡人向银行付清所有费用。後经改进，建立了银行信用卡制度。现代银行信用卡，如威士卡、万事达卡，持卡人可分期付款，银行对欠款部分计收利息；因有利息收入，银行可不向持卡人收取年费，只向有关商人索取较低的服务费。近十年由於信用卡的使用剧增，导致前所未有的消费性债务。
English version：
credit card
Small card that authorizes the person named on it to charge goods or services to his or her account. It differs from a debit card, with which money is automatically deducted from the bank account of the cardholder to pay for the goods or services. Credit-card use originated in the U.S. in the 1920s; early credit cards were issued by various firms (e.g., oil companies and hotel chains) for use at their outlets only. The first universal credit card, usable at a variety of establishments, was issued by Diners' Club in 1950. Charge cards such as American Express require cardholders to pay for all purchases at the end of the billing period (usually monthly). Bank cards such as MasterCard and Visa allow customers to pay only a portion of their bill; interest accrues on the unpaid balance. Credit-card companies get revenue from annual fees and interest paid by cardholders and from fees paid by participating merchants. The huge increase in U.S. credit-card use in recent decades has led to unprecedented levels of consumer debt.
