It is definitely a means of payment. Credit cards cannot replace money as a means of circulation.

Credit cards are a non-cash payment method and are simple credit services. "An electronic payment card with some or all functions such as consumption, transfer settlement, cash deposit and withdrawal, credit loan, etc." It is a "non-cash transaction payment method" and a credit service. It is not "paying money with one hand and delivering the goods with the other hand", so Credit cards do not function as a means of circulation.

The credit card consumption process is somewhat similar to credit purchases. When you purchase goods on credit, you negotiate with the merchant before repaying the money after a period of time. When purchasing with a credit card, You use electronic money to express your promise, and the merchant believes that you (mainly trusting the bank) will repay it, so it sells you things. However, if the bank goes bankrupt, the merchant may still not get the money, so when using the credit card It only functions as a means of payment instead of currency

Only cash transactions function as a means of circulation