Credit Cards
Community banks play an important role in delivering secure card products that meet customer expectations while supporting financial inclusion and economic growth.
ICBA helps community banks continue offering competitive card programs that serve the needs of their customers and communities through advocacy, education, industry resources, and strategic partnerships.
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ICBA Community
See what community bankers are saying about credit cards.
Overview
Consumer payment habits continue to shift toward digital transactions. Behind mobile wallets, contactless payments, e-commerce, tokenized transactions, agentic commerce, and peer-to-peer payment applications is a debit or credit card. As these payment methods grow in popularity, community banks must balance customer demand for convenience and innovation with strong security.
Community banks offer a diverse range of card products that support consumers, small businesses, and underserved populations. Debit cards remain the most frequently used payment transaction method, while credit cards continue to account for significant dollar value. As digital payments continue to grow, community banks are investing in fraud prevention technologies, cardholder controls, rewards programs, and digital wallet capabilities to strengthen customer relationships and maintain competitiveness.
ICBA advocates for policies that preserve consumer choice, support innovation, protect community bank card programs, and promote a level playing field in the payments ecosystem.
Mark Your Calendar: Credit Education Month is March 1 to March 31, 2027
Plan ahead for these national awareness moments. Complimentary marketing and communications assets are available in the ICBA Marketing Resource Center for all ICBA member banks.
What’s Happening in the Industry Right Now
The card payments ecosystem continues to evolve as consumers embrace digital and contactless payment options.
Current trends include:
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Continued growth in credit, debit, and prepaid card usage.
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Rising fraud threats from both consumers and fraudsters.
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Consumer impact of merchant surcharging.
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Increased adoption of digital wallets, mobile payments, and contactless payment technology.
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Increased political attention on interchange fees, routing mandates, late fees, and credit card pricing.
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Continued focus on financial inclusion through prepaid and alternative card products.
Resources Available for Community Banks
Understand card trends and consumer preferences
Stay informed on evolving consumer payment behaviors, card technology innovations, fraud prevention strategies, and regulatory developments affecting credit, debit, and prepaid card programs.
Featured Guide: Choosing the Best Business Banking Card
Help business customers identify the right card solution for their needs with this practical guide comparing business credit cards and commercial credit cards.
Peer Perspectives & Community Connection
Connect with fellow community bankers through ICBA Community to exchange ideas, discuss card program challenges, and share best practices for customer engagement, fraud prevention, and product innovation.
Supporting strong, sustainable community bank card programs
ICBA advocates for policies that preserve consumer choice, support innovation, strengthen payment security, and enable community banks to continue serving customers through relationship-based card programs.
Leadership and Advocacy
ICBA works with lawmakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders to ensure community bank perspectives are represented in these discussions. ICBA advocates for a competitive marketplace that allows community banks to invest in card security, customer benefits, fraud prevention, and digital innovation while preserving the flexibility needed to respond to changing consumer needs.
Building expertise in the evolving cards ecosystem
Card payments continue to evolve as new technologies, fraud threats, consumer behaviors, and regulatory developments reshape the marketplace.
Ongoing education helps community bank teams stay current on emerging trends and effectively manage card programs that meet customer expectations.
Key Certification: Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer
CCBCO (Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer)
Strengthen your ability to interpret complex regulations, apply industry best practices, and navigate evolving regulatory expectations with confidence, positioning yourself as a knowledgeable and trusted compliance leader within your organization.
Delivering secure, competitive card experiences
Customers increasingly expect convenient, secure, and digitally enabled card experiences. ICBA helps community banks identify solutions that support card issuance, fraud mitigation, digital wallet integration, rewards programs, payment security, and customer engagement.
ICBA Payments offers credit card solutions
Grow non-interest income and strengthen customer relationships with credit card programs designed specifically for community banks. Through ICBA Payments, banks can access flexible credit card- issuing options across the revenue and risk spectrum, helping institutions deliver competitive card products.
TCM Bank
Through our agent Total Card Management® program, we help your community bank grow with a well-rounded selection of credit cards that come without the hassle of starting and managing the program yourself.
How ICBA Supports Community Banks
ICBA supports community banks through advocacy, education, industry research, and strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening credit, debit, and prepaid card programs. By leveraging the buying power of ICBA’s membership, two ICBA two subsidiaries—ICBA Payments and TCM Bank—offer credit card solutions that help community banks compete.
By promoting policies that protect consumer choice, opposing harmful government interference in card markets, advancing payment security initiatives, and providing practical resources to help banks respond to evolving customer expectations, ICBA ensures community banks remain competitive and well-positioned in the rapidly changing payments landscape.
