Amex

American Express Company, commonly abbreviated as AmEx and informally as AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in New York City. It operates the American Express Network, a payment network, and offers a range of financial products and services including charge and credit cards, travel and expense management, merchant acquiring, and corporate payment solutions. The company is distinctive for combining issuing and network duties under one organization, a model that affects card design, rewards programs, and merchant relationships.

AmEx traces its origins to 1850, when it began as an express mail business. It expanded into financial services in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pioneering traveler's cheques in 1891 and introducing the first plastic charge card in 1958. The firm grew through the late 20th century into international markets, and it increasingly focused on premium consumer segments and business customers, while adapting to digital payments and fintech competition in the 2010s and beyond.

Products and services include various personal and business cards, with notable categories such as premium Platinum, Gold, and Green cards, as well as corporate and small-business cards. The company offers the Membership Rewards program, travel services, and expense management tools. AmEx also provides merchant acquiring services, payment processing, and customer analytics, leveraging its brand and customer service to attract high-spending travelers and organizations.

AmEx is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AXP and is a component of major indices. It competes with Visa and Mastercard, among others, and is known for its emphasis on premium customer segments, strong rewards programs, and global partnerships. Its business model centers on card issuance, network processing, and value-added services to merchants and cardholders.