Who is considered the cardholder in a banking context?

In a banking context, the cardholder is the individual or entity that possesses the payment card and is authorized to make transactions using that card. This encompasses the responsibility for card compliance and usage, as the cardholder must adhere to the terms outlined by the card issuer and is accountable for any charges incurred.

The role of the cardholder is crucial, as they have the right to use the card, report lost or stolen cards, and manage corresponding billing. The cardholder's identity is linked directly to the card, which might be affiliated with a specific bank or financial institution, but the primary function of the cardholder is as the user.

The other options refer to different roles in the payment ecosystem. The bank that issues the card is responsible for managing the card's functionality and customer accounts but does not hold the title of cardholder. The merchant is the entity that accepts the payment card as a form of payment but is not the owner of the card. Lastly, the card company, which might refer to an organization like Visa or Mastercard, facilitates the payment networks but does not have ownership over the card itself as the cardholder does. Thus, the entity responsible for card compliance and usage is indeed the cardholder.