Credit Cards: The Story Behind the Plastic

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Credit cards feel like magic—tap, swipe, approved. But behind that split-second ding is one of the most complex financial systems ever built. We unpack how your $5 latte triggers a global relay between banks and networks like Visa and Mastercard, trace the 1958 campaign that jump-started the credit card revolution, and reveal how a trillion-dollar system quietly shapes the way we spend. From interest rates to rewards points, this is the hidden story of money in motion—and how a small piece of plastic changed the world. Guest: Sean Vanatta, senior lecturer in financial history and policy at the University of Glasgow and author of Plastic Capitalism, Banks, Credit Cards, and the End of…