What is issuing bank?

An issuing bank is a financial institution that provides credit or debit cards to consumers and manages their accounts. It is responsible for underwriting the cardholder's creditworthiness and facilitating transactions made with the card. When a cardholder makes a purchase, the issuing bank authorizes the transaction and settles the payment with the merchant's bank. Additionally, it often handles customer service, billing, and fraud protection for cardholders.