American Express is a global payments company and premium lifestyle brand founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York. It issues cards, helps merchants accept payments, and operates a network that processes and settles transactions. It also offers banking, financing, rewards, travel, lifestyle and commercial payment services.
What does American Express do?
American Express brings together three related parts of payments: issuing cards, acquiring merchants and running a payment network. These functions can be handled by the company itself or, in some markets and arrangements, with help from third-party financial institutions.
It issues cards and serves customers
American Express offers consumer and commercial credit, charge and debit cards, as well as banking and financing products. Its customers range from individuals and small and medium-sized businesses to mid-sized companies and large corporations. Card terms and features depend on the specific product and market.
It helps merchants accept payments
The company’s merchant business signs merchants, agrees on discount rates and provides servicing. Some merchants instead work with a third-party acquirer. Under OptBlue, participating acquirers contract directly with small merchants for acceptance on the American Express network and set the merchant pricing. That means there is no single acceptance price that applies to every merchant.
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- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
It operates a payment network
The network processes and settles transactions made with American Express cards. Third-party banks and other institutions may also issue Amex-branded cards or acquire merchants in their markets, so not every card or transaction is handled through an identical arrangement.
Is American Express a bank or a credit card company?
It is both a payments company and a provider of banking and financing services. Calling American Express only a credit card company misses its merchant-acquiring and network businesses; calling it only a bank misses the role its cards and payment network play. Its card lineup includes credit, charge and debit products, whose repayment terms are product-specific. A charge card and a credit card should not be assumed to work the same way: check the current terms for the particular card.
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- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
How does American Express make money?
American Express says its revenue is driven primarily by card spending and secondarily by finance charges and fees. It also earns merchant discount revenue: merchants agree to pay for accepting card transactions. The company does not charge every customer or merchant one universal fee. Many, but not all, card products have an annual fee, and merchant rates and arrangements vary, including when a third-party acquirer is involved.
What cards, rewards and services does it offer?
Its services extend beyond payment cards. American Express’s 2025 annual report describes a range of products and benefits, including:
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Rank #3
- Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- Double check if the URL/website is genuine before entering card details online. Do not provide any gift card details (example: claim code) to someone you do not know or trust. There are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- If you believe that your Card has been lost or stolen, notify Mastercard immediately by calling 1-833-791-7288. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Mastercard Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted, including online. Your Amazon.com Balance cannot be used to purchase Mastercard gift cards.
- Consumer and business credit, charge and debit cards
- Banking and financing products
- Membership Rewards, cash-back features, Amex Offers and partner statement credits
- Travel and lifestyle services, lounge access, and dining and entertainment experiences
- Business expense-management solutions
American Express reported refreshing its U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum cards in 2025. Benefits, fees, rewards, availability and eligibility vary by card and geography; consult the issuer’s current product terms rather than assuming a feature applies to every card.
Where is American Express accepted?
Acceptance depends on the merchant and location. In its 2026 Chairman’s Letter, American Express said more than 170 million merchant locations worldwide accepted its cards at year-end 2025. That company-reported count is a broad measure, not a guarantee that a particular shop, service or destination accepts American Express. Check with individual merchants, especially when traveling.
Rank #4
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
How large is American Express?
The following are company-reported measures for 2025, not timeless figures. The figures in the first two rows come from American Express’s 2026 Chairman’s Letter; the remaining measures come from its 2025 Form 10-K.
| Measure | Reported figure and period |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $72 billion in 2025, reported by American Express in its 2026 Chairman’s Letter |
| Worldwide merchant locations accepting American Express | More than 170 million at year-end 2025, reported by American Express in its 2026 Chairman’s Letter |
| Worldwide billed business | $1,670 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025, reported in American Express’s 2025 Form 10-K |
| Proprietary cards-in-force worldwide | 86.6 million as of December 31, 2025, reported in American Express’s 2025 Form 10-K |
| Worldwide processed volume on third-party-issued cards and alternative payment solutions | $227.2 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025, reported in American Express’s 2025 Form 10-K |
| Third-party-issued cards-in-force worldwide | 66.2 million as of December 31, 2025, reported in American Express’s 2025 Form 10-K |
How did American Express begin?
American Express says it began in 1850 as a freight-forwarding company. It introduced the Travelers Cheque in 1891, later expanded into travel services, and introduced its first charge card in the United States and Canada in the 1950s. Its history reflects a shift from express and travel services toward financial products and payments.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
What should you compare before choosing an American Express card?
There is no single set of terms or benefits that applies to every American Express card. Compare the specific card against your needs using these factors:
- Annual fee and other costs
- How rewards are earned and redeemed
- Whether you will use the benefits offered
- Acceptance where you shop and travel
- Borrowing terms and eligibility requirements
- Whether the card is designed for personal or business spending
American Express lists partnerships with Delta, Marriott, British Airways and Hilton for co-brand cards, and integrations such as Emburse and SAP Concur for expense management. These illustrate the range of its commercial relationships; they do not mean that every partner offers the same card or a current referral program.
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