4 Credit Card Habits That Can Make Your Debt More Expensive

Using a credit card can be simple, but making minimum payments, taking out cash advances, not paying off the balance in full, and having high credit utilization can make debt more expensive. These habits can result in longer payoff periods and higher interest payments. To avoid this, pay off your balance in full each month, avoid cash advances, and keep credit utilization low.

Apple's decision to explore a potential partnership with JPMorgan Chase for the Apple Card could significantly impact CoreCard's future. CoreCard, a lesser-known fintech company, has been responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Apple Card, including transaction processing and billing. However, the company's CEO, Leland Strange, has publicly stated that the company could lose its Apple credit card business if JPMorgan were to take over [1].

Euronet Worldwide recently announced a $248M all-stock deal to acquire CoreCard, providing some financial stability to the company. The acquisition values CoreCard at $30 per share and is expected to be completed by late 2025 [2]. This deal comes amidst uncertainty about CoreCard's future, as Apple's decision to end its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs has led to this potential shift. Goldman Sachs initially took on the Apple Card in 2019 but announced in 2023 that it would be withdrawing from the consumer credit market [2]. JPMorgan Chase is now in advanced talks to take over the Apple Card portfolio, with the companies reportedly close to a deal [3].

The transition to JPMorgan Chase is likely to cut out CoreCard as the Apple Card's processor in favor of JPMorgan's in-house payment processing capabilities. This move is expected to have minimal impact on Apple Card users in the short term, as JPMorgan is unlikely to make noticeable changes to the card's features [1].

CoreCard's story began in 1986 when Leland Strange invested in a small credit-card startup in Florida. The company has since grown to manage the Apple Card, which has over 10 million users [4]. However, the company's future remains uncertain as it faces potential loss of its biggest client.

References:
[1] https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/08/03/apple-card-shifting-to-another-big-bank-will-probably-kill-this-small-company
[2] https://www.fintechfutures.com/m-a/euronet-acquires-corecard
[3] https://www.pymnts.com/credit-cards/2025/goldmans-apple-card-partner-faces-uncertain-future/
[4] https://www.wsj.com/finance/apple-card-corecard-leland-strange-ff5ac7da