A "plain-vanilla" credit card is the type the industry used to offer commonly -- a simple card with no features. The industry evolved to offer multiple cards that offered many benefits, but also confused many consumers. Whether a return to "plain vanilla" cards was desirable became part of the debate over the Credit CARD Act of [..]

Standard financial or derivative instruments without special features.

Definition The standard version of something, such as a bond or option. A plain vanilla item would not have any special components, unlike an exotic item which is more complex and varied. One example [..]

A plain vanilla is the standard type of a financial asset or instrument.

A term referring to relatively simple derivative financial instruments, such a swap or other derivative issued with standard features. Opposite of Exotic.