Prepaid debit cards are changing the way people in the U.S. do business. Prepaid debit cards impact the way we spend cash, wield checks, and most importantly, employ traditional credit cards. The prepaid industry, which for the last 15 years focused primarily on telecom services, is about to explode into every sector of the economy. Prepaid debit cards represent substantial revenue opportunities for new players, but they could also significantly reduce the revenues of banks and major credit card companies, such as Visa and MasterCard. Either way, the prepaid market is poised for change, and that change promises to be both dramatic and irreversible.