SAN FRANCISCO – VISA USA saw its debit transactions that cardholders validate with a personal identification number increase by almost 100% in the second quarter of 2004 over the same quarter in 2003. According to the brand's second quarter figures, VISA cardholders made $15 billion in purchases in the second quarter of 2004, 95% over PIN debit purchases in the second quarter of 2003. At the same time the brand saw the number of its debit cards eligible for PIN use grow by 24% over the same quarter of last year and the number of merchants accepting the cards increase by 19%. In credit cards, the brand saw its sales and cash advance volume increase 13% over the same quarter last year to come in at $156 billion. The number of credit card accounts grew by 10% or 111 million and the number of cards increase by 11% or 147 million.