<PAGE>   1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 10-K

              Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                  For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996
                         Commission file number 0-27710

                      MELLON BANK CREDIT CARD MASTER TRUST
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE                                             51-0015912
(State or other jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                       Identification No.
                                                     of servicer of registrant)

Tenth and Market Streets,
Wilmington, Delaware                                 19801
(Address of principal executive offices              (Zip Code)
of servicer of registrant)

Telephone number of servicer of registrant, including area code: 302-421-2229

          Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

                                      None

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g)of the Act:

         Class A Floating Rate Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1995-A
                                      and
         Class B Floating Rate Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1995-A

Indicate by a check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes  X       No
    ---         ---

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to
this Form 10-K.  X
                ---

The Registrant estimates that as of March 1, 1997, the aggregate market value
of shares of the Registrant's Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the
Registrant was $0.

As of March 1, 1997, the Registrant had outstanding -0- shares of its Common
                                                    ---
Stock, par value $ __._ per share.

No documents have been incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K.


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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PART I                                                                                                         Page
<S>             <C>                                                                                              <C>
Item 1.         Business                                                                                         2
Item 2.         Properties                                                                                       2
Item 3.         Legal Proceedings                                                                                2
Item 4.         Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders                                              2


PART II

Item 5.         Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters                            2
Item 6.         Selected Financial Data                                                                          2
Item 7.         Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition                                      2
                and Results of Operations                                                                        2
Item 8.         Financial Statements and Supplementary Data                                                      3
Item 9.         Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants
                on Accounting and Financial Disclosure                                                           3

PART III

Item 10.        Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant                                               3
Item 11.        Executive Compensation                                                                           3
Item 12.        Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management                                   3
Item 13.        Certain Relationships and Related Transactions                                                   3


PART IV

Item 14.        Exhibits, Financial Statements, Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K                                3
</TABLE>

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                The Mellon Bank Credit Card Master Trust (the "Trust") was
formed pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of November 1,
1995 between Mellon Bank (DE) National Association ("Mellon (DE)"), as
transferor and servicer and The Bank of New York, as trustee. The Trust was
formed for the purpose of acquiring certain trust assets and issuing
asset-based certificates under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and one or
more supplements thereto. The property of the Trust includes a portfolio of
receivables arising under selected MasterCard and VISA revolving credit
accounts transferred to the Trust by Mellon (DE).

                On November 21, 1995, the Trust issued $814,625,000 of Class A
Floating Rate Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1995-A and $54,625,000 of
Class B Floating Rate Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1995-A (together, the
"Certificates"). On February 8, 1996, such Class A Floating Rate Asset Backed
Certificates, Series 1995-A and Class B Floating Rate Asset Backed
Certificates, Series 1995-A were registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

                                     PART I

ITEM 1.     BUSINESS

            Omitted.

ITEM 2.     PROPERTIES

            Omitted.

ITEM 3.     LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

            None.

ITEM 4.     SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

            None.

                                    PART II

ITEM 5.     MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER
            MATTERS

            There is one holder of record of each Class of Certificates.

            To the knowledge of the Trust, there is an over the counter public
            trading market for the Certificates, although the frequency of
            transactions varies substantially over time.

ITEM 6.     SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

            Omitted.

ITEM 7.     MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
            RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

            Omitted.

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ITEM 8.     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

            Omitted.

ITEM 9.     CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
            FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

            None.

                                    PART III

ITEM 10.    DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

            Omitted.

ITEM 11.    EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

            Omitted.

ITEM 12.    SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

            A nominee of The Depository Trust Company is the sole record owner
            of each Class of Certificates. As of December 3l, 1996, based on a
            review of public filings with the Securities and Exchange
            Commission, no person was known to be the beneficial owner of more
            than 5% of the total principal amount of either Class of
            Certificates outstanding on that date.

ITEM 13.    CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

            None.

                                    PART IV

ITEM 14.    EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

            (a)    Listed below are the documents filed as a part of this
                   report:

            Exhibit Number
            --------------

                   28.1       Annual Certificateholders Report

                   28.2       Annual Servicer's Certificate

                   28.3       Report of Independent Certified Public
                              Accountants

                                      -3-
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            (b)    Reports on Form 8-K:

                   On October 8, 1996, the Trust filed a Form 8-K with the
                   Commission reporting information under Items 5 and 7
                   thereof.

                   On November 11, 1996, the Trust filed a Form 8-K with the
                   Commission reporting information under Items 5 and 7
                   thereof.

                   On December 10, 1996, the Trust filed a Form 8-K with the
                   Commission reporting information under Items 5 and 7
                   thereof.

            (c)    Omitted.

            (d)    Omitted.

                                      -4-

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                                   SIGNATURES

                Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Mellon (DE), on behalf of the Trust, has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.

                                           MELLON BANK CREDIT CARD MASTER TRUST

                                           By:    MELLON BANK (DE) NATIONAL
                                                  ASSOCIATION

                                               By:  RAY DUGGINS
                                                    ---------------------------
                                                    Name:  Ray Duggins
                                                    Title: Senior Vice President

Date:  March 31, 1997

                                      -5-

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                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit                                                                    Page
-------
<S>      <C>                                                                <C>
28.1     Annual Certificateholders Report                                    8

28.2     Annual Servicer's Certificate                                       9

28.3     Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants                 10
</TABLE>

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