What American Express does

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) is a publicly traded, integrated closed-loop payments network founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York. The company issues consumer, small business, and corporate charge and credit cards under the American Express, Amex, and Centurion brands, and operates an end-to-end stack spanning card issuance, merchant acquiring, transaction processing, and acceptance — running on 153.9 million cards-in-force (up 4% YoY as of Q1 2026). The platform is augmented by Membership Rewards, Amex Offers, Amex Travel, Fine Hotels + Resorts, The Hotel Collection, the Centurion Lounges, and a growing owned dining network (Resy acquired 2019, Tock acquired 2024, TheFork acquisition of $700 million announced June 2026), plus banking products (High Yield Savings, Rewards Checking, Personal and Business Loans) and corporate payment solutions (vPayment, American Express @ Work). Co-branded cards with Delta, Hilton, Marriott, Fanatics, the American Bar Association, and the American Society of Interior Designers are issued on the Amex Network by partners such as Celtic Bank and First Electronic Bank.

The technology stack combines proprietary tokenization, digital wallet integrations (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), biometric authentication (Voice ID, SafeKey, passkeys), and AI/ML for real-time fraud detection, authorization decisions, anomaly identification, and large-scale transactional data analytics. The Chief Data Officer is advancing a generative AI "talk to my data" capability grounded in metadata, ontologies, and knowledge graphs, while the Amex Agentic Commerce Experiences Developer Kit and Amex Agent Purchase Protection (launched May 2026) and the pending Hyper acquisition extend AI into agent-initiated purchasing and expense management.

Revenue is generated through a mix of merchant discount fees on billed business (Q1 2026 billed business of $428 billion, up 10% YoY), card membership and annual fees on premium tiers (e.g., Gold at $325, Platinum at $695+, Centurion by invitation), net interest income on cardmember lending balances, co-branded and network-licensing revenue shares, and banking/deposit-related income (including Amex Rewards Checking at 1.00% APY and High Yield Savings). The company serves affluent consumers, Millennials and Gen Z (66% of new accounts), small businesses, mid-sized and large corporate enterprises (Corporate Green, Gold, Platinum, Purchasing), and professional verticals including legal and design. Marketing and customer acquisition combine direct-to-consumer digital channels, enterprise sales, channel partners, OEM/network licensing, and event-driven sponsorships spanning the NFL, Formula 1, Fanatics Fest, Hamilton Island Race Week, and the James Beard Foundation. Q1 2026 reported revenue of $18.91 billion (up 11% YoY) with FY2026 revenue growth guidance of 9-10%, EPS guidance of $17.30-$17.90, 34.4% return on equity, and a 56-consecutive-year dividend payment record, against a market capitalization of approximately $231-236 billion.

Name

American Express

Legal name

American Express Company

Website

https://americanexpress.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American Express is a global closed-loop payments network that issues consumer, small business, and corporate charge and credit cards to over 153 million cardholders, complemented by banking, travel, dining (Resy, Tock, TheFork), Membership Rewards, and AI-driven agentic commerce products and services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer & Commercial Payment Services

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Corporate Card Schemes (FSAMAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Card-Based Cross-Border Payments & FX Settlement (FSAMAIAD), Travel Money Cards & Multi-Currency Prepaid (FSAMANAI)

Keywords

• Credit card services
• Payment processing
• Merchant acquiring
• Charge card networks
• Consumer banking

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Discount Fees from Merchants: American Express charges merchants a discount rate on each transaction processed through its network; this is a transaction-based stream tied to billed business volumes from cardmembers.
2. Card Membership and Annual Fees: Annual and monthly fees on Personal, Business, and Corporate Cards (e.g., Platinum, Gold, Centurion), typically recurring revenue with high attach rates on premium products.
3. Net Interest Income: Interest income earned on cardmember lending balances (revolving balances, loans), net of interest expense; tied to credit card balances and rate environment.
4. Co-Branded Partnership Revenue: Revenue from co-branded cards with Delta, Hilton, Marriott, Fanatics, and association cards (ABA, ASID), including partner revenue shares, network licensing, and exclusive cardmember perks driving spend.
5. Banking, Checking, and Savings Products: Amex Rewards Checking, High Yield Savings, CDs, and personal/business loans generate deposit-related income, net interest margin, and interchange on debit transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

American Express operates a closed-loop payment network that issues consumer, business, and corporate charge and credit cards, processes transactions through merchant acquiring, and offers banking products (High Yield Savings, Rewards Checking, Personal Loans), corporate payment solutions (vPayment, @ Work), travel services (Fine Hotels + Resorts, American Express Travel), dining platforms (Resy, Tock), and the Membership Rewards loyalty program.

Product overview

American Express operates an integrated platform combining a closed-loop card-issuing and payments network with consumer, business, and corporate charge and credit cards, complemented by banking products (High Yield Savings, Rewards Checking, Personal Loans, Business Checking) and B2B payment solutions such as vPayment and American Express @ Work. Atop this core sits the Membership Rewards loyalty program (with Amex Offers), travel services including American Express Travel, Fine Hotels + Resorts, and The Hotel Collection, plus dining platforms Resy, Tock, and the pending TheFork acquisition. Security and digital identity are delivered via the Amex Mobile App, SafeKey, Voice ID, and emerging products like the Amex Agentic Commerce Experiences Developer Kit and Amex Agent Purchase Protection, while AI capabilities spanning real-time fraud detection, generative 'talk to my data' pilots, and agentic commerce support the full stack.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Resy: U.S. dining reservation platform owned by American Express; powers Global Dining Access for eligible Amex cardholders and partners with over 25,000 venues.
• Tock
• TheFork
• Fanatics American Express Card

Products and services

• The Platinum Card from American Express American Express's flagship premium consumer charge card offering extensive travel benefits, lounge access (Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass Select, Plaza Premium Lounges), and lifestyle credits including $300 Digital Entertainment, $400 Resy, $300 lululemon, $200 Uber Cash, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits, and Fine Hotels + Resorts access.
• The Gold Card from American Express Premium rewards credit card with $325 annual fee and up to $424 in annual dining credits, plus elevated earnings on dining and groceries and travel benefits.
• The Green Card from American Express Mid-tier rewards credit card focused on travel and dining benefits.
• Centurion Card from American Express Ultra-premium invitation-only charge card providing exclusive concierge services and elite-tier benefits.
• Blue Cash Everyday from American Express No annual fee cash back credit card offering higher rewards on U.S. supermarket, gas station, and online retail purchases.
• Blue Cash Preferred from American Express Cash back credit card with elevated earnings on streaming, transit, U.S. supermarkets, and gas station purchases.
• Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards Co-branded credit card family with Delta Air Lines available in Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Reserve tiers, including Business variants. Earns SkyMiles miles and Delta-specific travel benefits.
• Hilton Honors American Express Cards Co-branded credit card family with Hilton across Card, Surpass, and Aspire tiers (consumer and Business), earning Hilton Honors points and elite status benefits.
• Marriott Bonvoy American Express Cards Co-branded credit card family with Marriott Bonvoy (Bonvoy, Bevy, Brilliant tiers, plus Marriott Bonvoy Business), earning Marriott Bonvoy points and elite status benefits.
• ABA American Express Business Card Co-branded business card for legal professionals issued by Celtic Bank on the American Express Network in partnership with the American Bar Association, offering up to 2% cash back on business spending and up to 5% on ABA purchases with flexible financing options and Amex Network benefits.
• ASID American Express Business Card Co-branded business credit card for interior designers and small design firms, launched in partnership with ASID and Mercantile, featuring Credit LimitShield and flexible approval pathways for ASID's 19,500+ members in the U.S. and Canada.
• Business Platinum Card from American Express Premium business charge card providing extensive travel benefits, lounge access, and business spending rewards.
• American Express Business Gold Card Business rewards credit card with bonus categories that adapt to highest spending areas.
• Corporate Card Programs Corporate charge and purchasing card programs (Corporate Green, Gold, Platinum, and Purchasing Card) tailored for mid-sized companies and large/global enterprises.
• Membership Rewards Program Loyalty program enabling Card Members to earn and redeem points across travel, gift cards, statement credits, and transfers to airline, hotel, and partner programs.
• Fine Hotels + Resorts Premium hotel booking program offering exclusive perks such as room upgrades, late checkout, and breakfast at over 1,800 luxury properties for eligible Card Members.
• The Hotel Collection Mid-tier hotel booking program providing property credits and room upgrades for eligible Card Members booking through Amex Travel.
• American Express Travel Full-service travel agency platform for booking flights, hotels, cruises, vacation rentals, and Platinum Member Airfares, accessible via web and mobile.
• High Yield Savings (HYSA) Personal online savings account offered through American Express National Bank.
• Amex Rewards Checking Personal checking account with no monthly fees, 1.00% APY, and 1 Membership Rewards point per $2 in eligible debit card purchases, offered through American Express National Bank; new customers can earn a $300 welcome bonus.
• Personal Loans Unsecured personal loan products for existing American Express Card Members.
• Business Checking Business checking account offered through American Express National Bank for small businesses.
• vPayment Virtual payment account solution enabling businesses to issue single-use account numbers for accounts payable automation and supplier payments.
• American Express @ Work Corporate program management platform for administering Corporate Card programs, including reporting, controls, and expense management.
• Resy Restaurant reservation platform owned by American Express (acquired 2019), powering Global Dining Access and Resy statement credit benefits on eligible cards across more than 25,000 venues in the United States.
• Tock Restaurant reservation and management platform acquired by American Express in 2024, extending its dining network and reservation capabilities.
• Amex Agentic Commerce Experiences Developer Kit Developer-facing toolkit launched by American Express to enable partners to build AI agent-driven commerce experiences, including Amex Agent Purchase Protection for safe AI-agent-initiated transactions on behalf of consumers.

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability10 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• American Bar Association (ABA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Mercantile partnered with American Express and the ABA to launch the ABA American Express Business Card for solo practitioners and small law firms. The card is issued by Celtic Bank on the American Express Network and offers up to 2% cash back on business spending and up to 5% on ABA purchases, providing flexible financing options and Amex Network benefits.
• AdyencoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2026American Express is an early participant in Adyen Agentic, a suite of modular APIs for agentic commerce launched on June 16, 2026, enabling integration with AI-agent commerce platforms without rebuilding custom integrations. Initially limited to U.S. enterprise merchants before global expansion.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2026Salesforce is an early participant in Adyen Agentic alongside American Express, Mastercard, and Visa, supporting agentic commerce for enterprise merchants.
• Tripadvisor (TheFork)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026American Express agreed to acquire TheFork, Tripadvisor's European online restaurant reservation and management platform, for $700 million in cash. The deal expands Amex's dining network to 75,000 bookable venues when combined with Resy and Tock; expected to close by end of 2026.
• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Mercantile partnered with American Express and ASID to launch the ASID American Express Business Card for design professionals, with purpose-built credit solutions including flexible approval pathways, Credit LimitShield features, and access to Amex Network benefits across the association's 19,500+ members in the U.S. and Canada.
• Hyper (OpenAI Sam Altman-backed)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026American Express agreed to acquire Hyper, an AI-powered expense management startup founded in 2022 and backed by Sam Altman, to strengthen automation tools for commercial clients and expand presence in the corporate spending market. Deal expected to close Q2 2026.
• FanaticsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Multi-year strategic partnership making American Express the Official Payments Partner across Fanatics' online and retail locations worldwide and presenting sponsor at Fanatics Fest. Launching the Fanatics American Express Card (issued by First Electronic Bank and managed by Imprint) to earn FanCash, with Fanatics becoming a Membership Rewards transfer partner in 2027.
• Google (Universal Commerce Protocol)coreTechnology or Integration · 19 May 2026Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), co-developed with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart and endorsed by 20+ payment partners, expanded to hotel booking and local food delivery at Google I/O 2026, with American Express referenced in the broader agentic-commerce payment ecosystem.
• Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 April 2026American Express participated as a senior industry representative at the Thapar Institute Global Academic Leadership Summit 2026 on April 11-12, held at JW Marriott Chandigarh and TIET campus in Patiala, focused on AI integration, digital transformation, and sustainability in higher education.
• Delta Air LinesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Express and Delta Air Lines co-brand the Delta SkyMiles American Express Card family (Blue, Gold, Platinum, Reserve plus Business variants). The 30th-anniversary partnership enhancement added a complimentary second free checked bag for Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cardholders on domestic Delta-operated flights, a $120 annual rideshare credit for Gold/Business cardholders, refreshed card designs, and limited-time welcome offers.
• Hilton HonorsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-branded Hilton Honors American Express Card family (Hilton Honors Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card) plus Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, offering Hilton Honors Bonus Points and elite status benefits.
• Marriott BonvoyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-branded Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card family (Marriott Bonvoy Card, Bevy, Brilliant, plus Marriott Bonvoy Business Card), offering Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status for Platinum cardmembers and access to Marriott Bonvoy benefits.
• National Football League (NFL)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMulti-year global payments partnership with the NFL beginning with the 2026 season, providing American Express cardmembers with exclusive experiences, presale tickets (including for international games), and other NFL-related perks. Nearly 80% of U.S. Amex cardmembers identify as sports fans.
• Hamilton Island Race WeekminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Express returns as Presenting Partner of the 41st annual Hamilton Island Race Week 2026 (15-22 August), an offshore sailing regatta in the Whitsundays, Australia, alongside other sponsors including Volvo Cars and Kylie Minogue Wines.
• Encalm HospitalitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEncalm Hospitality operates the American Express Centurion Lounge (alongside Air India Maharaja Lounge and RuPay Lounge) in India, positioning airport lounges as brand engagement platforms with a reported 40% increase in traffic across its lounge formats.
• James Beard FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration highlighted in Food & Beverage Magazine Podcast as part of American Express's culinary engagement strategy alongside other hospitality partnerships.
• Celtic BankcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCeltic Bank issues the ABA American Express Business Card and ASID American Express Business Card on the American Express Network for professional verticals.
• First Electronic Bank and ImprintcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFirst Electronic Bank issues the Fanatics American Express Card, managed by fintech company Imprint, expanding Fanatics' loyalty program Fanatics ONE with FanCash earning and benefits.
• Resy (owned by American Express)flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerResy is a U.S.-based dining reservation platform owned by American Express, partnering with over 25,000 venues across the United States and offering statement credits on eligible Amex cards (Gold, Platinum, Delta SkyMiles).
• Retail EconomicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Express and Retail Economics jointly released research showing social media drives approximately 1.7 billion annual visits to UK high streets, with 63% of UK adults visiting a shop or hospitality venue after seeing social media content.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Visa: Global card network operator with overlapping merchant acquiring, card-issuing partnerships, and agentic-commerce initiatives. Visa is Amex's primary competitor, though Visa operates open-loop at vastly larger scale while Amex operates closed-loop with higher per-transaction economics.
• Mastercard: Open-loop card network competing directly with Amex in merchant acceptance, co-branded card programs, and emerging agentic-commerce standards (Adyen Agentic, Google UCP). Mastercard shares the same payments-TAM and partner-bank issuing model that Amex competes against.
• Discover Financial Services: Operates a closed-loop card network like Amex and competes head-to-head in US consumer credit cards and direct banking. Provides a direct write-off-rate comparison (Discover 5.05% vs Amex 2%) and competes for similar middle-to-upper-income US consumers.
• Capital One: Major US card issuer with premium products (Venture X) competing directly with Amex Platinum/Gold. Capital One's pending acquisition of Discover would create a closed-loop rival, intensifying competition in premium travel rewards and merchant acquiring.
• Synchrony Financial: Largest US private-label and co-brand credit card issuer, competing for store-card and partnership-card volume. Synchrony is comparable to Amex's licensing/OEM model (issuing on partner networks) and competes for similar retail co-brand economics.

Broad incumbents

• JPMorgan Chase: Operates one of the largest US card portfolios (Sapphire Reserve competing with Platinum) as part of a full-service retail and investment bank. Chase is a broad incumbent — overlapping in cards and merchant payments but anchored by banking, not the closed-loop premium model.
• Citigroup: Global bank with significant credit card franchise (Citi Strata Premier, Costco Visa) and treasury/corporate payment solutions that overlap with Amex Corporate Programs. Citi is a broad incumbent in cards and institutional payments but does not specialize in the closed-loop premium space.

Emerging players

• PayPal: Digital wallet and online payments leader whose PayPal/Venmo products overlap with Amex's digital wallet distribution and online checkout. PayPal competes for merchant acquiring volume and is a participant in emerging agentic-commerce standards that intersect with Amex's developer kit.
• Affirm: BNPL provider competing directly with Amex's Plan It feature for installment-based consumer credit. Affirm is an emerging player in adjacent payment flows (agentic commerce, merchant-integrated financing) that could pressure Amex's premium card incremental economics.
• SoFi Technologies: Digital-first bank offering credit cards, high-yield savings, checking, and personal loans — directly mirroring Amex Rewards Checking, HYSA, Personal Loans, and Blue Cash cards for younger consumers. SoFi is an emerging competitor in the same Millennial/Gen Z acquisition lane.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/americanexpress
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AmericanExpress
• Facebookfacebook.com/americanexpress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-express
• Instagraminstagram.com/AmericanExpress

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A18 records

Investments45 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Express