About credit cards

An informal system of credit has been going on for as long as humans have traded and bartered. In fact, the word credit comes from the Latin word credo, meaning to place trust.

We've been using credit cards for over a hundred years, since as far back as 1900. From simple cardboard I.O.U.s of a century ago to today's high-tech chip and pin devices, that sit in the wallets of around 1.7 billion people, the history of the credit card is a fascinating one.

Essential credit card myths, facts and figures:

• The history of credit cards
• Visa or MasterCard
• Credit card myths
• Credit cards of the future