Credit Cards: From the first credit card issued by the Central Bank of India in 1980 to the digital maps linked to UPI, this payment system has advanced far over the past 45 years. Currently, there are more than 11 Crore credit cards in India, according to the latest RBI data. This includes a variety of them – ordinary cards, travel cards, lifestyle cards, fuel cards, secure cards, UPI cards and many more. Customers with different priorities and goals opt for the cards that fit their needs. Large banks for small financing banks earlier, credit cards have only been issued by large banks to upward mobile people based on their credit values, but now even small financing banks, including Au Small Finance Bank, Suryoday Small Finance Bank and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, publishes these cards. Falcon co-founder Priyanka Kanwar says: “Over the past few years, the profile of India’s credit card customers has broadened dramatically. What was once a product that was largely issued by larger banks has now become accessible about segments. by large supermarket stores. These stores offer the option to repay the account in 3, 6, 9 and 12 installments at a discount of 0%. “In the space of durable consumers, including cell phones, credit card users can access deep brands and 0% interest. The seamless experience to choose for EMIs at the checkout has further acceleration of the adoption,” adds Kanwar. Safe cards are usually issued to clients based on their creditworthiness, which reflects their creditworthiness and the ability to repay loans and credit. But what will happen to users who do not have a credit history? Meanwhile, Safe Cards solve these problems by allowing customers to apply credit cards against the collateral of a fixed deposit. By using these cards for some time, they can gradually build their score. Credit Card Travel: 1980 The credit card trip began in 1980 when the Central Bank of India introduced the first credit card in India, and it called the central map. It was issued under the Visa network. 1990-2000, this decade kicked off a new era for credit cards, fueled by the 1991 economic liberalization, which opened doors for multinational banks. This shift encouraged the entry of global players, which led to functions such as bundled insurance benefits, zero liability for fraud and the introduction of reward point systems. 2000-2010 with the Internet Revolution transferred credit cards from physical retail tools to essential enablers of online trading, with transaction volumes rising, along with digital connectivity. Certain key launches, such as the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in 2002, have a revolution in ticket bookings via maps. This was followed by MakemyTrip in 2005 and Flipkart in 2007, which made card payments a routine case. 2010-2020 NPCI’s launch of Rupay in 2012 rolled out an indigenous card network, which by 2018 gave a significant traction in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This challenging Visa and Mastercard’s dominance. In addition to 2020 by Sept 2022, the market crossed 100 million cards in circulation. In May 2025, there were 111.2 million active credit cards in the banking system. Disclaimer: Mint has a fusion with fintechs to provide credit, you must share your information if you apply. These bonds do not affect our editorial content. This article only intends to educate and distribute awareness about credit needs such as loans, credit cards and creditworthiness. Mint does not promote or encourage credit as it has a set of risks such as high interest rates, hidden costs, etc. Visit here for all updates for personal finance
From the first map in 1980 to 11 Crore Active Credit Cards: How this payment system developed over 45 years
