Bank of America introduced the BankAmericard credit card in 1958.
The program launched in Fresno, California, as a general-purpose revolving credit card. It allowed customers to make purchases and repay balances over time, while merchants received payment through the banking system.
BankAmericard later expanded beyond Bank of America’s direct operations through licensing. In 1976, international licensees adopted the name Visa, creating the global card network now associated with the brand.
Visa is therefore the later network name, not the name used when Bank of America launched the original card. The BankAmericard launch is widely regarded as a key event in the development of modern payment cards.