Barclaycard, part of
Barclays Retail and Business Banking, is a global payment business. The
Barclaycard was the first credit card introduced in the United Kingdom, coming into service in 1966. It enjoyed a
monopoly until the introduction of the
Access card in 1972. The 'Barclaycard' was not the first payment card to be issued in the United Kingdom though,
Diners Club and
American Express launched their charge cards in 1962 and 1963 respectively. At the time American Express was seen as Barclaycard's main competitor.