American Express is Accepted at 160 Million Merchants Around the World; Since 2017, Amex-Accepting Locations Have Increased by Nearly 5x
American Express today announced that American Express Cards are accepted at an estimated 160 million Merchant locations worldwide, as of June 2025.1 The company has grown the number of Amex-accepting Merchant locations by nearly 5x since 2017,2 meaning Card Members can enjoy the benefits and powerful backing of their Amex Cards across more destinations and a wider variety of Merchants than ever before. This builds on American Express' virtual parity acceptance in the U.S., where Amex has been accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards since the end of 2019.3
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"From Kyoto, Japan to Kingston, Jamaica, our Card Members can use their Cards with confidence when they travel," said Anna Marrs, Group President, Global Merchant & Network Services, American Express. "We're making it possible for more customers to use their Card in more places around the world – especially where we know they live, work and travel – helping drive meaningful spend to Merchants by connecting them with our premium, high-spending customer base."
The average annual spend on American Express Cards in the U.S. is 2.9x that of cards on other networks; the average annual spend on American Express Cards issued outside of the U.S. is 4x when compared to spend on cards on those other networks internationally4. Amex's strategy to expand acceptance around the world benefits Merchants, who can now welcome these high-spending customers; as well as Card Members, who can now use their Amex to make purchases and enjoy new experiences at more places around the world.
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Travel Destinations: Among Card Members' top travel destinations, American Express acceptance has grown considerably:
- In Japan, one of our Card Members' most popular travel destinations, American Express added over 1 million new Amex-accepting locations last year
- In the UK since 2021, American Express has driven a 3x increase in Amex-accepting locations, including more UK small businesses than ever before
- In the Caribbean, Amex is accepted across 22 islands, with over 25,000 new locations added in 2024 alone
- Airlines + Lodging: American Express is accepted at the vast majority of 4- and 5-star hotels worldwide, and, following recent signings with Wizz Air in the UK and Binter, an airline of the Canary Islands in Spain, American Express will soon be accepted at all major European airlines.
- Transit: Amex Cards are now accepted by more than 700 transit authorities globally, helping locals and travelers navigate public transit more easily through tap-to-pay technology. This growth includes recent signings with metro rail lines in Beijing and Shanghai – the two busiest transit systems in the world – and last month's launch of contactless payments on BART in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Dining: American Express is investing in dining because our customers are passionate about restaurants. Amex has driven double-digit growth in international restaurant acceptance since 2021, and Amex Card Members spent $87B on dining in the U.S. in 2024.
In Q2 2025, Millennials and Gen Z made up 75% of new U.S. Consumer Gold and Platinum Card Members. "Millennials and Gen-Z are our fastest-growing customer segment, and these acceptance gains directly support their affinity for travel, dining, and experiences," added Marrs.
American Express announced in June that major updates are coming to the U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum Cards.
1 As of June 2025, including an estimated 43 million Merchants that accept American Express through payment facilitators and 34 million Merchants that accept American Express through digital wallets in China.
2 2017-2025 growth does not include Merchant locations through certain payment facilitators.
3 Nilson Report #1279, February 2025.
4 2024 American Express U.S. and International average billed business per card, vs. weighted average of US and International credit/charge spend per card for Visa and Mastercard in 2024.
ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express (NYSE:AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products, services and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.
Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express' brand is built on trust, security, and service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and Membership value for our customers. With over a hundred million Merchant locations across our global network, we seek to provide the world's best customer experience every day to a broad range of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations.
For more information about American Express, visit americanexpress.com, americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/, and ir.americanexpress.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, contain words such as "expect," "intend," "plan," "aim," "will," "may," "should," "could," "would," "continue" and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including those described in American Express' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and its other reports filed with the SEC. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
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