Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a credit card?

The correct choice identifies a characteristic that is not associated with credit cards. Credit cards are designed to allow users to make purchases without immediate payment. Instead, they enable deferred payment, meaning individuals can buy now and pay later, typically at the end of a billing cycle. This flexibility is one of the primary advantages of using a credit card.

Furthermore, credit cards also have the potential to incur debt if the balance is not paid off, which is a critical aspect of their operation. Users can carry a balance from month to month, leading to interest charges on unpaid amounts, which is another characteristic of credit cards.

In this context, immediate payment is not a feature of credit cards. Such payment requirements are more characteristic of debit cards, where funds are directly withdrawn from the user's bank account at the time of the transaction. This distinction is essential in understanding how credit cards function compared to other payment methods.