Variety of Debit Cards in India Perfect as The New-age Banking Solution
The debit card first made its appearance in the 1970s. This card is generally used instead of cash for fund transactions when making purchases.A Debit card is also known as a bank card, check card and plastic cash. Gone are the days when customers across the globe used to carry cash heavy wallets and stand in those long queues to withdraw cash from their banks. Payments these days are made with just a swipe. With financial institutions issuing their customers, personalized cards with different features and designs, the popularity of prepaid debit cards have increased significantly. This is a perfect alternative to cash, that helps you to manage your daily expenses and allows you to plan your budget accordingly. One of the biggest advantages that a debit card offers is that every time a user makes a transaction, the money is drawn from his bank account to which the debit card is linked. Debit cards are mostly used for online transactions or as a part of e-banking solutions of the banks. In India, almost every bank offers debit cards with various features and benefits that depend on the account held by the user. These debit cards are generally issued by the banks in collaboration with several payment platforms to provide the user with a safe and secure transaction. Types of Debit Cards in India Visa Debit Card: Visa debit cards are issued with the bank’s and financial institutions tie-up with VISA payment services that provide the users with a VbV (Verified by Visa) platform for online transactions. Visa Electron Debit Card: Similar to Visa debit cards, these cards do not provide the overdraft option. MasterCard Debit Card: A MasterCard Maestro Card or a MasterCard Cirrus Card provides their customers an access to their funds worldwide. With the MasterCard Secure Code platform, the users can carry out their online transactions using their bank accounts. Contactless Debit Card: With these cards, a customer is allowed to make payments with just one tap or even waive off their card near the point of sale (PoS) terminals. The cards work on Near Field Technology (NFC) that makes the electronic payments safer. RuPay Debit Card: Introduced RuPay been introduced as a domestic scheme by NPCI and is committed towards the development of product and service offerings. These cards facilitate ATM transactions under the National Financial Switch Network and online purchases on the Domestic network. Maestro Debit Card: One of the most popular debit cards, Maestro from MasterCard was founded in 1992. Since then, it has been adopted by over 100 countries across the world. Maestro allows the customers to gain an immediate access to their funds through ATMs, online resources and PoS outlets. Benefits An easy and convenient alternative to cash, debit cards are quite handy. You don’t have to carry cash or cheque book. You can use a debit card to withdraw cash from an ATM and for transactions at Pos terminals. It ensures an instant transfer of funds. Now a days banks offer additional features like cash back, bonus points, redeemable points, and free insurance coverage. So, debit cards will certainly make the whole experience more rewarding. Since debit card uses the money within the account, it encourages the user to spend money in a responsible manner. As the transactions are recorded, it also helps the user to plan better money management and budgeting. It offers great security with less chance of theft, fraud, and misuse. You can keep a track of your spending with options like SMS alerts and emailsthat contain the details of all the transactions. Many banks now allow their customers to customise the add-on benefits to make the most out of their debit card. Most users feel that a debit card is a more convenient option. Also, it is less stressful as it allows you to spend within your limits and protects you from getting into a debt cycle. Moreover, there are many places in India that accept payments in cash.A Debit card can be the saviour as it allows you to conveniently withdraw cash from ATMs.
