Bank cards: types of bank cards, design, purpose, features and functionality

Plastic cards of banks have long been a part of life of every modern person. And there are a number of reasons for this. Someone - a salary, others - a scholarship or financial assistance gets on bank cards.

Kinds of bank cards, the conditions for their discovery, use, ways of closing, as well as the history of this financial product, you can learn by reading this article. Also, the most popular international systems dealing with the issue and support of plastic cards will be listed.

Origin and further development history

Consider plastic cards, from the moment when the first bank cards began to appear.

Before the trade boom in the United States in the fifties of the last century, as in the whole world, money was used in two forms: cash and non-cash.

If the first form is clear, then the second one will stop our attention.

Non-cash money then were checks and checkbooks. The modern user of a plastic card understands all the negative aspects of using a checkbook:

- possibility of forgery;

- long registration of each operation;

- always need to carry a paper check with you, which can easily be spoiled.

During the very American trade boom, when the number of trade transactions multiplied by several times, the need to have a means that would be more reliable than checks was greatly exacerbated.

At first bank cards looked like a regular piece of cardboard, on which the necessary information was indicated.

Gradually they improved, the level of protection increased.

In the form in which everyone is used to seeing plastic cards today, they began to be produced in the mid-70s of the last century, right after the invented tape was invented.

What is a bank card?

Without going into financial terms, we can say quite simply: this is the key to the bank account, through which you can perform the transactions specified in the contract (withdraw and deposit funds, pay bills, etc.).

It is noteworthy that many people think that this piece of plastic belongs to people who own the account. This is a mistake, since the true owner of a plastic card is its issuing bank. The person who owns the card account is just the card holder.

What does a bank card look like?

To date, all bank cards, regardless of the manufacturer, have a standard form and size. ISO 7810 is the standard that determines what bank cards should be. The types of bank cards listed below are different, but the following parameters are the same:

• The size is 85.6 by 53.98 mm;

• The presence of magnetic tape;

• The presence of a chip is possible;

• On the front side there is a picture (background, image), as well as the logo of the payment system, the card number, the surname and name of its holder, the month and year to which it is valid;

• On the reverse side there is also a background; In addition, there is a magnetic tape, an area for signing the cardholder and a special secret code consisting of three or four digits.

Of course, there are some exceptions, depending on the issuing bank. For example, some financial institutions order a photograph of the holder's photo on bank cards.

Types of bank cards

The classification of cards should be made in several groups, in order to properly disassemble them by types. So, according to the type of payment system in which cards operate, they can be:

• Local;

• International.

In relation to the card account:

• Basic;

• Additional.

By type of printing:

• Embossed;

• Unembossed.

For possible operations, you can divide the cards into:

• Settlement or debit;

• Credit;

• Prepaid bank cards.

Kinds of bank cards can be divided and by the status, and also a level of given services as follows:

• Instant (unnamed);

• Standard;

• Gold;

• Platinum;

• Class premium.

On the fact of physical existence:

• Real;

• Virtual.

Local cards are a payment instrument that operates only in one payment system operating in the territory of one state.

International, in turn, allows you to make calculations around the world, with the ability to interact with other payment systems.

The most popular international payment systems are Visa (a share in the world market is more than 50%) and MasterCard (about 30% of all cards of the plastic world). In third place is American Express, which occupies about 18%. An example of a card issued in the Russian Federation, which operates worldwide, is the Tinkoff Bank debit card .

One card account can be issued as a primary card or an additional card. The holder of the main card must be the owner of the card account.

Holders of additional cards can be anyone, but there must necessarily be the consent of the card account holder.

Embossed cards

Such cards can last longer than unembossed cards, due to the fact that the number and expiration date of the card, as well as the name of its holder are not printed, but are squeezed out on plastic.

On ordinary maps, very quickly erased all the inscriptions due to constant friction in the wallet, pocket and ATM. And the cards, squeezed out embosser (special apparatus), do not lose their appearance quite a long time.

What can you do with cards?

According to the above list of types of plastic cards, they can be divided into possible operations. Let's consider these types in more detail.

For example, two identical-looking Visa Classic cards allow their holders to perform distinct operations from each other. This is due to the fact that the class of the plastic card only partially determines the possibilities that are available to their carriers.

First of all, consider debit cards (settlement). They are used to access the bank's own funds, which are placed on the card account.

The mechanism of their work is simple - first you need to put money or wait for the transfer to the account, then using the card you can use cash at any time, where there is an appropriate terminal.

Some of them can also be called deposit. An example is the debit card "Tinkoff Bank", which brings revenue to the holder due to the availability of a cumulative interest rate and various bonus programs.

Also, debit cards can be issued by banks with the support of trade networks. For example, the map "Corn" is a universal tool for paying for goods and services in the network "Euroset", as well as its partners.

Credit cards

There are also credit cards. Unlike the previous type, they are designed to use borrowed money. For example, you have a Mastercard credit card with an amount of 10 thousand rubles.

When your own money runs out, you can withdraw additional cards from this card with a limit of 10,000 r. According to the terms of the agreement, you will have to return these funds to a financial institution by putting money on a bank card, and pay for their use a commission in the form of interest, if such is provided for in the contract.

They can be very different, depending on how the bank will charge interest on the loan. For example, there are preferential credit cards, for which you need to pay interest, only in case of non-return of funds for a special period, called preferential. Usually it's 30-40 days.

Prepaid bank cards are nothing more than a regular gift certificate, only a more universal kind. With such a card, you can make purchases at a particular store that supports this service.

That is, you can order a prepaid card for 5 thousand rubles, give it to a person who can pay it exactly the same amount when buying goods in the specified store. The principle of operation is the same as that of gift certificates.

Different level of cards

The same debit cards can still be divided into several types, depending on their level and the availability of additional options and the level of protection from financial fraud with them.

These levels often simply emphasize the status of their holder, than they essentially differ from each other. Although there are exceptions.

The lowest level of instant (unnamed) cards. They are not the same because they do not belong to anyone. This is due to the fact that by ordering such a bank card, you will receive it instantly. The bank orders them in advance, but they do not have a surname, and also the name of the cardholder. Such cards are often drawn up for shopping in online stores.

Basic (standard) level

Then comes the standard level. It implies the availability of a Visa Classic or Mastercard Standard card. From instant cards they are distinguished by an increased level of security due to embossed or unembossed printing of the name and name of the cardholder. Such cards are mainly used to pay salaries to employees, scholarships, pensions and other material assistance.

Most often, gold cards are found in the form of Visa Gold or Mastercard Gold. The content of a plastic card of this level is not affordable for everyone, therefore it is already considered a status card, unlike the previous ones. This level of cards can already include the presence of chips on the plastic itself, which greatly increases the protection against fraud. In addition, there are banks that offer Visa Gold holders to receive property and health insurance free of charge.

Platinum cards Visa or Mastercard are more statutory than gold. Their cost sometimes reaches up to amounts equal to several subsistence minimums, depending on the tariffs of banks. There are no significant differences from the previous level. Most often, this difference is manifested in an increased limit on the various operations with the card.

And the highest level of cards is premium. The cost of maintaining such cards is very high and can not be afforded by an ordinary person. This also determines the options (additional services) that the bank renders free to holders of such cards. For example, this is a personal financial adviser and a personal hotline, which you can call at any time.

The map can be a virtual one

As mentioned earlier, the cards can be not only plastic, but also completely virtual, that is, existing only in the computer.

These are special cards that are issued electronically by banks exclusively for making payments on the Internet. After all, they need a minimum of information - it's a card code, a validity period and a special CVV2 code.

The choice should depend on the needs

Knowing all the listed features of the cards, you can easily choose for yourself the right one. The most important thing is to correctly identify your needs. For example, why do you need a "credit card", if you are a wealthy person, and also a map of "Corn", if you do not use the services of Euroset or its partners?

Also, note: the higher the card class, the more expensive it will be for its maintenance. If you are a student, then you obviously do not need a gold card. And with frequent travel abroad and a fairly large turnover of personal funds without a platinum bank card you can not do, considering all the services that will be available to you.