Visa, one of the world's largest companies by market cap, began as Bank of America's BankAmericard program.
Bank of America launched BankAmericard in California in 1958. It was among the first general-purpose credit cards to offer revolving credit, allowing customers to carry balances rather than paying the full amount immediately. The program expanded through licensed banks in the United States and internationally.
In 1976, the international card organization adopted the name Visa. Visa became a global payments network rather than a traditional bank, connecting cardholders, merchants, financial institutions, and payment processors. Master Charge, another early card brand, later became Mastercard, which is why BankAmericard is sometimes incorrectly identified with that network.