What was Visa's original card called when Bank of America launched it in 1958?

Visa's original card was called BankAmericard when Bank of America launched it in 1958.

BankAmericard began as a pioneering general-purpose credit-card program in Fresno, California. Bank of America issued the cards and initially managed the system itself, helping establish the model of allowing customers to borrow from a revolving line of credit for purchases.

The program expanded beyond Bank of America's own branches through licensing arrangements with other banks. In 1976, the international network adopted the name Visa, creating the global brand now associated with payment cards and electronic transactions.

BankAmericard is sometimes confused with Master Charge, the earlier name of Mastercard, or with Diners Club, which launched a charge-card system in the 1950s. Visa became a publicly traded company in 2008, after operating for decades as a major card-network organization rather than a traditional bank.