According to the Federal Reserve System (2013), the 2013 Federal Reserve Payments Study shows that the number of credit card transactions grew at an annual rate of 7, 6%, rising from 21.0 billion in 2009 to 26.2 billion in 2012. This increase in growth is expected to continue in the coming years. Another big reason why credit card use continues to skyrocket is security. Credit card companies constantly advertise how safe their product is compared to carrying cash. For example, if money is lost or stolen, it disappears. If a credit card falls into the hands of a criminal, you have the option to stop using it by calling the card company and asking them to block your card. If fraudulent charges are made to your card, you also have several options to block or refund them. Both of these reasons make a strong argument that credit is safer than carrying cash. Additionally, new credit cards come with a chip integrated into the card, so much more unauthorized purchases can be made