Chip or Strip?

Most countries in Europe and Asia use a credit card based on embeddable microchips. Our credit cards are based on magnetic strips. Hacking the microchip card is a lot harder than hacking the magnetic strip card. Hence,we have become the place for the hackers to spend their time. 

Other countries have been using the chip cards for ten years or so, largely because of a push by the financial regulators in those countries. We have begun to use these cards, but 99% of us don't. 

Since the chip cards are a major medium of exchange elsewhere, frequent U.S. travelers to these countries have started to switch to the chip cards. In fact, our credit card companies have set October 2015 as the date when we will join the rest of the world and upgrade our cedit card technology.