American Express Adds Flexible Repayment Feature to Business Cards
New Amex Feature Gives SMEs More Control Over Card Repayments
American Express has introduced a Flexible Payment Option (FPO) for new Business cardmembers, providing small businesses with an embedded credit feature that allows greater control over how statement balances are repaid.
Key Highlights of the News
Embedded line of credit within business cards: The Flexible Payment Option is built directly into Business Platinum and Gold cards, allowing cardmembers to access an instant credit facility without applying for a separate loan product or financing arrangement.
Multiple repayment choices: Businesses can decide to pay the full statement balance, pay only the minimum amount due, or choose any amount in between, giving owners more control over monthly financial commitments.
Interest-free period remains available: Cardmembers continue to receive up to 54 calendar days interest-free on purchases, provided the total balance is cleared by the payment due date, helping businesses retain working capital for longer.
Digital management through existing channels: Payment preferences and balances can be managed through the online account portal or the Amex mobile app, integrating the feature into current account management workflows.
Designed around small business financing priorities: Survey data from the company’s UK SME segment shows that 31% of businesses identify cashflow management as a primary focus, while 26% view repayment flexibility as an important factor when selecting financing solutions.
No pre-set spending limit structure: Business Platinum and Gold cards continue to operate with a dynamic spending capacity that adjusts to individual business usage patterns, rather than a fixed credit limit.
Rewards functionality continues unchanged: Cardmembers are still able to earn Membership Rewards points on eligible business spending, maintaining the existing incentives framework alongside the new repayment flexibility.
The Flexible Payment Option represents a structural adjustment to how small businesses can manage card-based expenses, shifting from a traditional pay-in-full model to a more adaptable repayment framework.
By embedding credit flexibility directly into business cards, the feature offers SMEs an additional tool to smooth cashflow cycles without requiring separate borrowing arrangements, reflecting growing demand for more responsive and practical financing mechanisms within day-to-day business operations.
