Which option describes a feature of prepaid payment cards?

Prepaid payment cards are designed to allow users to spend only the amount that has been loaded onto the card in advance. This feature is fundamental to how prepaid cards function, relying on a stored value that can be utilized for transactions until the balance is depleted. Unlike credit cards, which allow borrowing up to a certain limit or are linked to a bank account to cover transactions, prepaid cards require that users load funds beforehand and cannot spend beyond that loaded amount.

The nature of prepaid cards ensures that users manage their spending based on the available balance on the card, promoting a more controlled approach to financial transactions. This feature distinguishes them from credit products, which involve borrowing and interest, and from debit cards that draw directly from a linked bank account. Additionally, while some prepaid cards may carry monthly maintenance fees, this is not universally applicable and varies by issuer, thereby not defining prepaid cards as a whole.