First Bank card Associations
In 1959, Bank of America began issuing the BankAmericard within California, which was the first universal credit card with widespread merchant acceptance. Bank card associations began in 1966 when Bank of America formed licensing agreements with other banks. This enabled them to issue credit cards on a widespread basis and settle transactions among participating banks.

Also in 1966, a group of 14 US banks formed Interlink, a new bankcard processing association with the ability to exchange information on credit card transactions. In 1967, four California banks formed the Western States Bankcard Association and introduced the MasterCharge program (which was later renamed MasterCard in 1979) to compete with the BankAmericard (later renamed Visa in 1976) program. VISA and MasterCard are organizations that both issue credit cards through member banks and set and maintain the rules for processing. They are both run by board members who are mostly high-level executives from their member banking organizations. (ref Visa.com)

As the bankcard industry grew, banks interested in issuing cards became members of either the Visa Association or MasterCard Association. Their members shared card program costs, making the bankcard program available to even small financial institutions. Later, changes to the Association bylaws allowed banks to belong to both Associations and issue both types of cards to their customers.

Evolution of Credit Card Processing
As credit card processing became more complicated, outside service companies began to sell processing services to VISA and MasterCard association members. This reduced the cost of programs for banks to issue cards, pay merchants and settle accounts with cardholders, thus allowing greater expansion of the payments industry.

Visa and MasterCard developed rules and standardized procedures for handling the bankcard paper flow in order to reduce fraud and misuse of cards. The two associations also created international processing systems to handle the exchange of money and information and established an arbitration procedure to settle disputes between members.

Articles Pages:

1. Brief History
2. First Bank Card Associations
3. Continued Growth
4. Millionster Theater MovieClip:Secret History of the Credit Card