Because they can, and people with influence know they can. Then people with influence force the credit card companies to do it. Not hypothetical, in actuality

We can only speculate as to their internal motivations. But why doesn't really matter when we can watch them actively do it.

Are you actually concerned with their motivations, or just unaware that this is a common practice already?

For profit and compliance with authoritarian government.

I really don't know. But they must have reasons I don't know about.