Bank of America created the first national general-purpose credit card, BankAmericard, in 1958.
BankAmericard began as a Bank of America project in California. It introduced a revolving-credit model in which customers could carry an unpaid balance from one billing cycle to the next, subject to finance charges and a credit limit. That structure helped distinguish it from charge cards, which generally require the balance to be paid in full.
The program later expanded beyond Bank of America’s direct control. In 1976, BankAmericard was renamed Visa, creating the international payment brand now known worldwide. The modern Visa network is operated separately from any single issuing bank.
BankAmericard is often described as the first successful general-purpose consumer credit card, although earlier store cards and travel-and-entertainment cards already existed.