How do they "make" the money

[aa06a47]

I find it hard to believe that people have 2 trillion dollars charged on credit cards, and the credit card companies actually have 2 trillion dollars backing those charges. (I read somewhere the 2 trillion dollars, not sure it is accurate or not)

Do they print there own money or what?

[FilingOnMyOwn]

Someone loans them the money, then they loan it to you.

[keepmine]

Most credit card portfoilos are placed in Master Trusts and then sold to institutional investors or the investing public. The issuer keeps a chunk of the interest earned plus, a servicing fee.