[aysfrm11]

In Europe just using debit cards is perfectly viable in 99% of the cases, however when it comes to car rentals you are still in some locations forced to provide a 'real' credit card.

I write 'real' since most of the FinTechs like Revolut, N26 etc often issue debit cards that may fail in exactly that situation. It doesn't help if your account is flush with 10k USD and a car rental could easily block 2k for claims on your debit card, some will just not accept Revolut & co. Thus I am always forced to carry an emergency backup credit card from a major bank just to be on the safe side...

Very much looking forward to the day some other means of international payment (crypto?) will be generally accepted.

[ricardobayes]

I am so fortunate to live a in a truly free country that has not yet caved in to most of the western crap despite being a western first world country. Spain. Here the rental companies accept even cash, and the person who pays doesn't even need to be the same as the one who rents.

[londons_explore]

They require a credit card because credit card companies have robust ID and credit checking. If their ID checks weren't great, someone could steal the whole credit limit.

Banks and debit providers also do ID checks, as required by law, but don't check anywhere near as hard, since there is no way to steal money from the bank if your account can't go negative.