Smart card is a kind of plastic card with a size similar to that of ordinary business cards, which contains a silicon chip with a diameter of about 1cm, and has the functions of storing information and performing complex operations. It is widely used in telephone cards, financial cards, identity cards, mobile phones, pay TV and other fields.
—— On the chip of smart card, the microprocessor, memory and input/output unit are integrated. It is considered as the smallest electronic computer in the world. On the smart card, there is a set of security control mechanisms with strong performance, and the security control program is solidified in the read-only memory, so it has reliable security guarantees such as being unable to copy and reading and writing passwords. Compared with the ordinary magnetic card, it also has the advantages of large information storage capacity, and can increase the "wisdom" of the card by micro-processing.
-the concept of smart card was put forward in the mid-197s. Its inventor is Roland Moreno, a Frenchman. In 1976, MICHEL VGON of BULL Company in France made the first smart card. The first generation of smart cards did not actually have any "wisdom", and they were read by contact. It was first applied to telephone cards in France. Later, through the combination of memory and microcomputer, the card became "intelligent" and a contactless smart card was manufactured. This makes smart cards widely used in the fields of finance and transportation. The contactless function enables bus passengers with cards to automatically check tickets and deduct tickets as long as they walk through the reading terminal, without queuing. Since 1996, it has also developed the technology of communicating with smart cards by electromagnetic waves in a short distance under the premise of safety and reliability.
Credit card is a special card issued by banks or other financial institutions to those with good credit status, and it is a special credit certificate. Cardholders can shop and spend money at merchants designated by card issuers, and can also deposit and withdraw cash at designated banking institutions.
I. Definition of Credit Card
With the development of credit card business, the types of credit cards are increasing. Generally speaking, there are broad credit cards and narrow credit cards.
in a broad sense, any special card that can provide credit proof for the cardholder and enable the cardholder to shop, spend or enjoy specific services with the card can be called a credit card. In a broad sense, credit cards include credit cards, quasi-credit cards, debit cards, savings cards, ATM cards, check cards and credit cards.
in a narrow sense, foreign credit cards mainly refer to credit cards issued by banks or other financial institutions, that is, credit cards that can be loaned and consumed without pre-deposit, and credit cards that consume first and then repay; Domestic credit cards mainly refer to credit cards, that is, quasi-credit cards.
The credit cards introduced in this website mainly refer to credit cards in a broad sense.
In appearance, a credit card is the size of an ID card, generally made of special plastic, with a specially designed pattern, the name and logo of the card issuer printed on the front, and information such as the card number, the holder's name, and the expiration date printed in a raised or flat way; On the back of the card, there is a magnetic stripe for recording relevant information, a signature strip for the cardholder to sign and a description of the card issuer.
Second, the characteristics of credit card
Credit card is one of the fastest-growing financial services today, and it is an electronic currency that can replace traditional cash circulation to a certain extent;
a credit card has both payment and credit functions. Cardholders can use it to buy goods or enjoy services, and they can also obtain certain loans from card issuers by using credit cards;
Credit card is a high-tech product integrating financial business and computer technology.
Third, the role of credit cards
Credit cards can reduce the use of cash and currency;
Credit cards can provide settlement services, facilitate shopping and consumption, and enhance the sense of security;
Credit cards can simplify the collection procedures and save social labor;
Credit cards can promote commodity sales and stimulate social demand.
4. The advantages of using a credit card are as follows:
You don't have to carry a lot of cash to avoid the risk of carrying a lot of cash when you go out.
it has the advantage of "spend first, pay later".
You can use its "revolving credit" function to delay the payment of some funds and manage your finances flexibly.
affirmation of personal credit and identity.
universal payment tools: at present, there are more than 2 countries or regions in the world, and more than 13 million special stores accept credit cards. In case you need cash, there are more than 16, ATMs around the world that can accept credit cards to withdraw cash.
financial management tools: with a credit card, you can know your personal consumption records in the monthly statement, and each credit card consumption has a signed bill to be kept for reconciliation, so that the income and expenditure are clear.
preferred card/gold card
The main difference between a gold card and a Classic Card is the limitation of application qualification and the level of credit limit. Generally speaking, ordinary cards can earn more than 22, yuan a year, while gold cards need to earn more than 4, yuan a year, and the credit line granted by banks to gold cards will be higher than ordinary cards. The annual fee of a gold card is usually twice that of an ordinary card, but it can enjoy more membership benefits, such as overseas emergency rescue, high travel insurance, free road rescue, etc., to provide cardholders with more distinguished services.
platinum card
is the top credit card launched by the whisky and MasterCard organization. Its target is the top people in the society, such as enterprise managers and senior executives. In addition to charging high annual fees, it will provide more thoughtful additional services for senior people who often travel abroad, such as free use of airport VIP rooms, free car towing, high accident insurance, and golf membership card concessions.
business card, corporate card
a credit card designed for official use is an application made by a company to a bank to provide employees with the expenses of swiping the card when going out for business. After the employee signs the bill with the company card, the bill will be paid directly by the company, which can save the traditional procedures of reporting the account and requesting money. The accounting department of the company can reconcile the accounts according to the monthly consumption list compiled by the bank, which saves a lot of trouble or further strives for quantity discount.
supplementary card
the cardholder of the main credit card can apply for supplementary cards for relatives and friends, such as students and housewives who lack financial means. The supplementary card and the main card * * * enjoy the credit limit of a credit card, and the account will appear on the same statement. In addition, the rights and obligations of the main card and the supplementary card are basically the same, but if the main card is reported lost, the supplementary card will not be used, and the loss of the supplementary card will not affect the main card.
student card
some banks will introduce credit cards for students, but because students have no financial autonomy, banks will give them a lower amount, generally only 2, to 5, yuan. Students with fixed income can also prepare another income certificate to apply for a higher credit line from the bank. Students can first use the student card to establish a good credit with the bank, and then increase the credit limit after leaving the society in the future and become the cardholders of ordinary cards.
charge card
a charge card is not a credit card, and the biggest difference between this consumer payment tool and a credit card is that it restricts the repayment method of consumers. In terms of credit limit, the debit card is more flexible in consumption limit, and users are less in danger of being maxed out. It is the best tool for cardholders who often swipe their cards with large amounts of money. However, if the user's credit card amount suddenly increases or the card-holding history is too short, it may also be rejected. In today's market, charge cards are generally considered to have more identity than credit cards, have extremely high spending power, and have stricter auditing standards for issuing cards, such as Diners Card and American Express Card. Their admission fees and annual fees are usually much higher than those of credit cards. In terms of payment method, the debit card must be paid in full within the payment period, and it is not possible to use revolving credit to delay the payment of part of the money like a credit card.
affinity card
The function of an affinity card is basically the same as that of a credit card. However, the affinity card is jointly issued by the issuing bank and a non-profit institution, religious organization or charity, and has the function of public welfare. Consumers apply for this card because of their recognition of this non-profit organization, and the bank will return a certain proportion of the cardholder's spending amount to this non-profit organization, such as a school identity card and a professional baseball identity card.
in a word, credit card is a kind of smart card, and credit card is a special application of smart card. Credit card is the application of smart card in banks.