Checking Card

A checking card (UK: chequing card) is a payment card which accomplishes much the same purpose as checks.

A checking card can be used to authorize a third-party to draw a fixed amount of money directly from a checking account (private account) held by the card holder. This is accomplished using information stored either on an embedded microchip or magnetic stripe, or in written form on the face of the card.

The most common use for checking cards is as a means of payment at merchants. The Eurocheque card or EC card which was widely used in many European countries until 2002 is an example of a checking card.

Debit cards combine the payment settlement functions of checking cards with the account access functions of ATM cards.

More on this topic:
Swiss bank package comparison
Swiss credit card comparison