Signature Debit Cards Outpace Credit Cards Year On Year

FREDERICK, Md. - The growth in sales volume on debit cards which cardholders validate with their signatures outpaced that of credit cards in the first quarter of 2006 in year over year figures, according to Cardweb.com, a Web site which tracks card trends. According to the site, signature debit transaction dollar volume rose 19% in the first quarter of 2006 over the first quarter of 2005 while credit card dollar volume rose only 12% in both Visa and MasterCard. The site reported that over the past five years, signature debit card purchase volume in the U.S. during the first quarter has more than doubled rising 114% while purchase dollar volume in credit cards has increased 46% for the same period. During the first quarter Visa and MasterCard posted $149.6 billion in debit card purchase volume versus $285.2 billion in credit card PDV, according to CardData.