Business: Launch of the Barclaycard

British brand for credit cards of Barclays PLC. As of 2010, Barclays had over ten million customers in the United Kingdom.

Barclays launched Barclaycard on 29 June 1966, initially as a charge card, but following Bank of England agreement to the offering of revolving credit, it became the first credit card in the United Kingdom on 8 November 1967. It enjoyed the monopoly of the credit card market in the United Kingdom, until the introduction of the Access Card in October 1972.

Barclays was not the first issuer of a credit card in the United Kingdom though; Diners Club and American Express launched their charge cards in 1962 and 1963 respectively. Barclaycard was originally a BankAmericard licensee, and became part of the Visa network on its formation in September 1976.