Are credit card considered as money?
Andrew Campbell
Updated on February 10, 2026
Although you can make a purchase with a credit card, it is not considered money but rather a short term loan from the credit card company to you. Until you pay the credit card bill, you have effectively borrowed money from the credit card company.
Why are credit cards not considered money do they serve any functions of money?
The “money” portion is an erroneous reference to credit cards as a form of money, which they are not. Although credit cards do facilitate transactions, because they are a liability rather than an asset, they are not money and not part of the economy’s money supply.
Why are credit cards not a form of money?
It is essentially like taking out a loan. The credit card allows a person to purchase something, but actual money has to be paid to the credit card company. The main reason in contrast, credit card debts are liabilities. To households, the line of credit associated with a credit card is not a financial asset,…
Why are checks, debit cards, and credit cards not?
Yours is a good question! Because “money” is the commodity given as payment for goods and services (salt and pepper preceded coins and, later, paper money). Essentially, checks and debit/credit cards are devices which cause the movement of money from the owner to a debtor or vendor.
Do you have to pay the credit card company money?
The credit card allows a person to purchase something, but actual money has to be paid to the credit card company. The credit card company is loaning money to the card user, and the user must pay back the loan/debt/liability with money (an asset). I would like to point out that debit cards do count as money.
Do you have to pay back credit card interest?
The bank, in other words, is loaning you money when you use a credit card. You have to pay this money back within a certain time frame or you will be charged interest for the use of the money. The interest is often very high, so if you don’t have the money to pay off the credit card, it it best to avoid using one.