Chase’s prepaid card to rival checks

NEW YORK – Chase has launched a prepaid card designed to be an alternative to a checking account as it tries to recoup fees it has lost under recent regulatory changes.

The company said Tuesday that the reloadable Chase Liquid card is available at 200 branches now, and will expand to branches nationwide this summer. Chase said the cards are being tested in two markets but declined to say where.

Banks are looking to prepaid cards and other new products to increase their revenue after regulatory changes have curbed the fees they collect.

Consumers will pay a $4.95 monthly fee for Chase’s reloadable card. They can use it the same way they do a debit card to make purchases and withdraw cash from ATMs and Chase branches. The company says it is a low-cost alternative to traditional checking accounts.

Rules went into effect in 2010 prohibiting banks from enrolling customers in overdraft programs without their consent. Overdraft fees, which are often $35 or more per violation, were an important revenue stream for banks. Banks also took a hit last summer when new rules limited the fees that they can collect from merchants whenever customers pay with a debit card.

In response, banks have cut checking account rewards programs, introduced new accounts with higher fees and rolled out new products such as prepaid cards.

Chase said customers will need to have an initial $25 deposit to get the Liquid card but are not required to have a checking or savings account with the bank. There are no fees for withdrawals or customer service support, which it says sets it apart from other prepaid cards.