The difference is that credit cards are not almost exclusively sub-prime loans and are reported on the consumer's credit. Many companies have largely prime or s

The difference is that credit cards are not almost exclusively sub-prime loans and are reported on the consumer's credit. Many companies have largely prime or super-prime credit portfolios, and the industry is well-developed to serve these customers (Amex makes much more money from interchange than from interest, for example, and even sub-prime borrowers have tight control over their credit portfolio).