Visa Plus is a worldwide

interbank network An interbank network, also known as an ATM consortium or ATM network, is a computer network that enables ATM cards issued by a financial institution that is a member of the network to be used to perform ATM transactions through ATMs that belo ...

that provides cash to Visa cardholders. As a subsidiary of Visa Inc., it connects all Visa credit,

debit Debits and credits in double-entry bookkeeping are entries made in account ledgers to record changes in value resulting from business transactions. A debit entry in an account represents a transfer of value ''to'' that account, and a cred ...

and prepaid cards, as well as ATM cards issued by various banks worldwide bearing the Visa /

Electron The electron (, or in nuclear reactions) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary charge, elementary electric charge. It is a fundamental particle that comprises the ordinary matter that makes up the universe, along with up qua ...

logo. Plus System, Inc. started out as a consortium formed by 34 major U.S. banks to build a national network of

automated teller machine An automated teller machine (ATM) is an electronic telecommunications device that enables customers of financial institutions to perform financial transactions, such as cash withdrawals, deposits, funds transfers, balance inquiries or account ...

s (ATM). It initially was composed of 2,000 ATMs linking 1,000 banks and their customers in 47 states. As the booming ATM industry outgrew regional networks and began to go nationwide in the mid-1980s, credit-card giant Visa sought entry in the lucrative ATM network business and acquired a third of Plus System in 1987. Currently, there are over one million Plus-linked ATMs in 170 countries worldwide. By default, Visa / Electron cards are linked to the Plus network, but very often all three logotypes will be shown Plus is widely used as a local interbank network most common in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

where networks such as

STAR A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...

, NYCE and Pulse also compete. It is also used in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

where it is usually combined with

Interac Interac is a Canadian interbank network that links financial institutions and other enterprises for the purpose of exchanging electronic financial transactions. Interac serves as the Canadian debit card system and the predominant funds transf ...

, and in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

where there are numerous competing interbank networks. The main competitor of Plus System is the Cirrus network, which is owned by Mastercard, Visa's longtime rival.

References

External links

Visa ATM locator

The Premier ATM Network: 1982-1992
Financial services companies established in 1982 Interbank networks Visa Inc. {{Finance-stub