Barclays became Britain's first bank to issue a credit card when it launched Barclaycard in 1966. The product was introduced in the United Kingdom as a way for customers to make purchases on credit at participating merchants.
Barclaycard was influenced by the expansion of card payment systems in the United States. Its launch helped establish credit cards in the British market, where payment habits had previously relied more heavily on cash, cheques, and store credit.
The name Barclaycard later became associated with a large card business and with Visa and Mastercard networks. It is distinct from the first general-purpose card overall, which was issued by Diners Club in 1950, and from BankAmericard, introduced in the United States in 1958.