- American Express is expanding its global payment network as card acceptance surpasses 190 million merchant locations, with international coverage more than doubling over the past four years.
American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP) said Monday that its cards are now accepted at more than 190 million merchant locations worldwide, marking a significant expansion of its global payment network. The company has added about 20 million merchant locations this year alone, according to American Express. Acceptance outside the US has more than doubled over the past four years as the company has focused on expanding its network in international markets.
The expansion addresses a long-standing competitive gap for American Express. Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) and Mastercard Inc. (NYSE: MA) have historically maintained broader acceptance outside the US, giving merchants and consumers greater coverage across many international markets, Reuters reported.
American Express has increasingly targeted locations where its cardmembers are most likely to spend, including major travel destinations, restaurants and cities hosting large international events.
The company said its focus includes destinations such as Barcelona, Hong Kong, Paris and Sicily, while upcoming sporting events have helped drive efforts in places including Mexico City and Melbourne, Anna Marrs, American Express group president of global merchant and network services, told Reuters.
American Express Targets International Spending Growth
Merchant acceptance is important to card networks because a larger acceptance footprint gives cardmembers more opportunities to use their cards for everyday purchases, travel and business expenses.
American Express said its strategy increasingly targets international markets as it seeks to capture a larger share of spending from customers outside the US. The company is also focusing on younger cardmembers, including Millennials and Gen Z, as those groups become a larger part of its customer base.
The network expansion follows several years of investment in partnerships with payment platforms, payment facilitators, licensed partners and local acquiring companies. Those relationships allow American Express to add merchants at scale without having to establish a direct relationship with every business.
The company's latest annual filings also show the scale of the earlier expansion. American Express reported more than 170 million accepting merchant locations worldwide at the end of 2025, up from previous years. Its 2026 proxy statement said US acceptance had reached approximately 99% of credit-card-accepting merchants.
The company has also continued expanding acceptance in specific international markets. In June, American Express Middle East announced an agreement with Network International that was expected to add acceptance at more than 85,000 locations in the United Arab Emirates, including physical and online merchants.
That spending is already substantial. Reuters reported that American Express cardmember billed business increased 9% to $455.8 billion in the latest quarter, while quarterly revenue rose 10% to $19.6 billion.
Why Merchant Coverage Matters for AmEx Revenue
American Express operates a payments network in which card acceptance and cardmember spending are closely linked. More merchant locations can increase the number of situations in which cardmembers can use American Express, particularly when traveling internationally. Greater acceptance can also reduce the need for customers to rely on another payment card when a merchant previously did not accept AmEx.
That is particularly relevant for international travel, where acceptance can influence which card customers use for hotels, restaurants, transportation and retail purchases. American Express has been working to expand that international footprint while maintaining its position in the premium card market. Its 2026 shareholder materials identified international growth and strengthening the company's global network as strategic priorities.
The company is also investing in newer payment channels. In April, American Express introduced its Agentic Commerce Experiences developer kit, designed to support purchases made through registered artificial intelligence agents on its network.
The expansion to more than 190 million merchant locations does not eliminate the acceptance gap with competing global card networks. Instead, it demonstrates the pace at which American Express is building coverage outside the US.
The company said it still sees additional opportunities to expand its network globally. For investors, continued merchant growth will be relevant to whether American Express can increase transaction volumes and capture a larger share of international card spending as its global customer base expands.