Rewards Drive Card Proliferation

Americans with larger credit‑card portfolios increasingly prioritize rewards, cashback and promotional sign‑up offers; holders of four or more cards are far more likely to cite unique card benefits and sign‑up promos than single‑card users. That pattern suggests card proliferation is less about credit access or emergencies and more about optimizing rewards and fee trade‑offs. — If rewards chasing is the main driver of multiple‑card ownership, regulators and consumer advocates should focus on marketing, sign‑up incentives, and fee structures rather than assuming additional cards signal financial fragility.