Debit cards are issued by banks to customers with checking accounts. Debit cards can be used at cash machines (ATMs) to withdraw money from your checking account and, like a check, they can be used to purchase items at stores and online.
Debit cards can be used to get local currency from almost any ATM worldwide and to make purchases where MasterCard or Visa are accepted. You can use your debit card in restaurants and stores simply by signing your name. And debit cards, like credit cards, can be used without your PIN or signature to pay at many stores and gas stations, as well as over the phone or the Internet.