1) How credit cards actually work

A credit card is borrowed money. When you make a purchase, you’re using money provided by a bank or financial institution and agreeing to repay it.

Each month, you receive a statement showing your balance and when it’s due. This is when repayment is expected.

• Pay in full: You generally avoid interest charges.
• Pay the minimum: You stay current, but balances can take longer to pay down.
• Carry a balance: Interest applies to what remains.

KEYR is designed to combine education + structure so people understand what they’re doing before they take on risk.

2) How interest works (simple example)

Interest is the cost of borrowing money. If you don’t pay your full balance, the remaining amount may start to accrue interest.

Credit card interest is based on an annual percentage rate (APR), but it is typically applied over time to any balance you carry.

• You have a $1,000 balance
• Your APR is 24%
• You only pay part of the balance

The remaining balance may grow because interest is added over time. If carried month after month, the total cost increases.

This is why many people feel “stuck” — even when making payments, interest slows progress.

See how this could pay down faster

Lower APR helps reduce interest — but the bigger opportunity is how you use your payment over time.

The Debt Reduction Model shows how part of your balance can be paid down faster first — then how that momentum can help you finish the rest sooner.

Estimates are for education and planning purposes only. This is not an application and does not determine approval, eligibility, or account terms.

3) The most common pitfalls

• Minimum payment trap: balances shrink slowly due to interest.
• High utilization: using too much credit slows progress.
• Missed payments: can negatively affect your credit.
• Subscription creep: small charges add up.
• Using credit as income: a limit is not extra money.

4) How to be successful

• Pay on time, every time.
• Use small, predictable amounts.
• Keep balances manageable.
• Progress when ready.

5) Anchor Base vs Start with credit

Choose Anchor Base if you want to avoid risk. Choose secured credit if you are ready to actively manage borrowing and repayment.

6) Anchor Base is not a debit card

Anchor Base may feel similar to a debit card because you use your own funds, but it is designed differently. Its purpose is to help build credit activity — not to function as a traditional bank account.

Anchor Base (no borrowing)

• You use your own funds — there is no borrowing
• No interest and no required monthly payments
• Designed to build credit activity in a controlled, lower-risk way

Anchor & Merit (secured credit)

• Key difference: these are real credit accounts, not stored-value accounts
• You are borrowing against a credit line backed by your deposit
• This activity is reported to credit bureaus

This is why secured credit can help build credit faster — but also requires responsible use, including on-time payments.

7) Why you can’t split your paycheck into the card

Credit cards are not checking accounts. Anchor Base and secured credit tiers are designed for credit-building and credit access, not for receiving payroll deposits like a traditional debit account.

With a debit account, your paycheck is deposited and you spend your own money. With credit accounts, you are either using a structured system to build credit (Anchor Base) or borrowing and repaying over time (Anchor & Merit).

If direct deposit functionality is introduced in the future, it would be offered through a separate product designed specifically for managing cash and payments.

8) Secured vs Unsecured credit (what’s the difference?)

Credit cards can be structured in different ways depending on your starting point and credit history.

Secured credit (Anchor & Merit)

• You provide a deposit that helps secure your credit limit
• This lowers risk for the lender
• Helps build credit through consistent use and repayment

Unsecured credit (Ascend & Apex)

• No deposit is required
• Access is based on your credit profile and history
• Typically offers stronger terms once eligible

Most people start with secured credit or a structured entry point, then progress to unsecured credit over time.

KEYR is designed to support that progression — starting with the right level of access and unlocking better terms as you build consistency.