From BankAmericard to Global Payments: The Messy Road to Universal Cards

When Bank of America launched BankAmericard back in 1958, nobody knew it would reshape how the world transacts. It started as an experiment—just an idea that people might actually want a card instead of cash.

The early days? Chaotic. Fraud ran rampant, merchants were skeptical, some downright distrustful. But here's the thing: despite all the friction, demand was undeniable. People wanted it.

BankAmericard then got licensed out to other banks. Growth accelerated, but so did the problems. Multiple banks operating their own card systems meant fragmentation. Standards were all over the place. The network effect wasn't working because everyone was operating in silos.

It's a lesson in execution: having a good idea isn't enough. You need coordination, trust, and a system robust enough to handle real-world chaos. That's how infrastructure gets built—not from hype, but from solving actual problems at scale.