What is Amex?

Amex is a nickname for American Express, which is one of the largest credit card companies in the world. Founded on March 18, 1850, Amex began as a mail delivery business, but is now is a provider of credit cards, charge cards, traveler’s cheques, bank accounts, loans, and more. If you have an Amex card, you probably have one of the better credit cards or charge cards on the market.

Notable Amex Credit Cards in 2025

In addition to typical credit cards, Amex also provides charge cards, where the balance must be paid in full every month. The Plum Card® from American Express is one such example.

It's worth noting that some Amex cards combine the elements of both regular credit cards and charge cards. These offer payment plans like Pay Over Time, which allow cardholders to either pay for eligible charges in full, or carry a balance with interest. These charges will be included in a different balance, up to a limit. The remaining charges will move back into your regular balance, which must be paid in full each month by the payment due date. One such card is The Platinum Card® from American Express (see Rates & Fees), which is great for travel.

Amex: A Credit Card Issuer and Network in One

Aside from being an issuer, American Express is one of the four major credit card networks. Visa and Mastercard cards, on the other hand, are issued by banks and credit unions. Amex has the lowest merchant acceptance rate of the four issuers both domestically and abroad.