American Express Boosts Global Card Acceptance to 190 Million Merchants

American Express has expanded its card acceptance to over 190 million merchant locations worldwide, more than doubling its international presence in four years.

The company is focusing on areas where its members tend to spend frequently, such as travel hubs like Barcelona and Hong Kong, as well as everyday categories like restaurants. By doing so, American Express aims to narrow the gap with Visa and Mastercard, which are accepted at more locations globally.

The expansion has led to a 9% increase in billed business to $455.8 billion and a 10% rise in quarterly revenue to $19.6 billion. However, the growth may come with unit economics challenges due to payment facilitators taking a cut of fees.