Embracing the latest technology with open hands is something that the United States is really good at. It is the Americans who are the first to get their hands on iPhones and iPads before it reaches the rest of the world. The only segment where the United States seems to lag behind the rest of the world is in terms of the technology use in credit cards.

While most of the cards in the country still uses the “swipe and sign” technology, cards in many European countries have switched over to the “chip and pin” technology which is considered to be more secure. Till recently, a number of Americans travelling to Europe had problems using their cards in certain outlets in the new country because of the change in technology. In fact, many kiosks, bicycle rentals and parking lots in Europe accept only cards with the chip and pin technology, thereby making travel a nightmare for most of them.

The good news is that all this is now set to become a thing of the past. Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase in the US have begun developing cards that work on the chip and pin technology. These new plastic cards are currently in the testing phase and will take a few months to reach card holders. So, don’t jump guns and switch your banks in case you don’t have an account with these two banks. Once they are ready to reach the consumers, the frequent travelers will first be privy to the card before the rest of them.