One might think we had already come as far as we could with credit cards, but there might be an even deeper credit future than was initially imagined.

The Current Credit Card Trends

The frontier of multiple monetary plastic formats has been surveyed. How many more billions of credit cards can companies come up with to offer to increasingly stressed consumers? Credit debt is overwhelming millions of Americans and it is not likely to abate. Based on this fact it is hard to visualize any more plastic appearing on the horizon.

But who said business was logical? There are perhaps many more waves of credit cards on the financial horizon. Already credit card companies are packaging their newest agreements with fancier incentives—nicer cash back rewards, trendier travel incentives and even the opportunity to choose a reward of your choice.

Incentive Trends

And with more and more businesses accepting plastic, there are even more incentives to keep them in your wallet. Most fast food chains are accepting credit cards, making it even easier to “Supersize.” Many critics of the credit movement say this is one more way of playing into the already junkie-like spending habits of Americans.

Reckless Marketing Continues

There is even talk of casino slot machines outfitted with credit card handling abilities. And, why wouldn’t they? The rest of the credit world seems unmoved by the dire situations of many overwrought and overspent Americans who are marketed to with as nearly a reckless disregard as this slot concept.

The Future

The future of credit cards will most likely be driven by the technology that allows their use. The more online retailers become, the more places that credit cards can be used as not only payment methods, but as identification, too, then the more ubiquitous the objects will be.

Who knows what shape credit will take. Perhaps cards will miniaturize. Maybe they will eventually just be implanted in chip form on the palms of our hands, just beneath the skin. And once there they might hold all types of personal information in barcode form ready for the scanning. However their form, they will no doubt drive the technology of financial security.