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Every day millions of people around the world use cards to pay for services and wire money… and know nearly nothing about the plastic thing that lives in their wallet or pocket. We have put together a list of interesting facts about banking and payment cards. Are you ready to challenge your memory and knowledge now?
The idea first came in 1950 to Frank X. McNamara who faced an awkward situation. This respected gentleman forgot his wallet in a different suit and couldn’t pay for lunch. This situation led to Mr. McNamara founding Diners Club to make people less dependent on cash and give them more freedom. Diners Club payment system became the first of a kind in history;
Banking cards are as protected as “usual” money. Some authenticity signs include marks that are only visible in ultraviolet light. For Visa cards those are “V” letters, for MasterCard “M” and “C”, and American Express has a hidden eagle as its watermark;
Card number sequences have their own secrets, like the first number stands for the payment system: it is 3 for American Express, 4 for Visa, 5 for MasterCard, 6 for UnionPay. Can you guess what number does Cryptocean card number start with?Of all cards in the world, 57% have Visa logotype on them;
Polls show that 78% of all people pay with a card, and the majority of those purchases is in supermarkets (30%) and clothing store (15%);
When you buy something online or on the phone, companies have no right to ask for personal information. If you decide to keep you address a secret, they can’t cut off your payment;
First ideas to create a crypto-supporting card surfaced long ago, in 2011. In 2012. BitInstant announced the issuance of the first card to support digital coins jointly with MasterCard. The project piqued no attention of the public;
ING International Survey showed 35% of people from different countries believe cryptocurrencies and cryptocards are the future of online transactions.
What fun or interesting facts about banking and payment cards do you know? Please share your thoughts!