Amex Embeds Virtual Cards into @Work Platform to Boost B2B Adoption

American Express is making it easier for corporate finance teams to use virtual cards by integrating them directly into its @Work platform. This move aims to break down a major barrier to adoption: the cost of adding new tools to an existing workflow.

According to American Express, 74% of B2B buyers expect virtual cards to account for at least a quarter of their transactions by 2028. However, commercial cards, including physical and virtual ones, still make up less than 3% of B2B payments. The company cites research from Mastercard that found the commercial virtual card market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 19% through 2031, reaching $15.14 trillion in value.

With the @Work integration, finance managers can generate and configure virtual cards without switching platforms, reducing the 'switching cost' to zero for existing users. Each virtual card has a unique 16-digit Primary Account Number (PAN), expiration date, and CVV security code, dynamically generated rather than printed on plastic.

The @Work platform also provides structured data return, allowing finance teams to automate reconciliation metadata when transactions settle. This feature is particularly useful for companies with significant contractor or guest-user spending that currently requires manual reimbursement through personal cards.