As Asia’s payments landscape accelerates toward digital, contactless and cross-border commerce, global card networks are recalibrating their regional strategies. American Express is positioning itself at the intersection of everyday spend, premium customers and digital ecosystem integration, expanding its merchant footprint while embedding its network deeper into Asia’s daily payment habits.
With 170 million merchant locations globally as of January 2026, the company is scaling acceptance across public transit, digital wallets and QR ecosystems in markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Japan. For Sharon Chew, Vice President and General Manager, Head of Global Merchant Services Asia, the expansion reflects a disciplined strategy focused not just on reach, but on strengthening value for both Card Members and merchants.
In this exclusive conversation with AsiaBizToday, she shares her perspectives on the rapidly changing industry scenario and how American Express is rolling out its strategy.
ABT: American Express has been expanding its acceptance footprint across Asia. What factors have driven American Express’s recent expansion of its acceptance network across Asia, especially among everyday merchants and retail partners?
SHARON CHEW: Our expansion across Asia is a core strategic priority, driven by a powerful value proposition for both Card Members and Merchants. This growth is powered by a compelling business rationale. For Card Members, we enhance the utility of Card Membership by ensuring their Card is welcome where they shop, dine, and travel every day. For Merchants, partnering with American Express provides access to a premium, high-value customer base of engaged, loyal consumers. This creates a virtuous cycle – high spending Card Members attract more Merchants, which in turn strengthens the value of Card Membership and drives greater engagement.
We have grown our global acceptance footprint to 170 million merchant locations worldwide as of January 2026. In Asia, we build on this scale with a disciplined focus on the right partners, categories, and everyday use cases.
ABT: How is Amex strengthening its presence in locations where digital wallet and QR-based payments are highly popular, and what makes the network confident about its acceptance strategy in Asia?
SHARON CHEW: We are advancing our network in Asia’s dynamic payments landscape by integrating seamlessly into the digital ecosystems and daily habits of our Card Members—ensuring our Cards work where people shop, commute, and pay every day, including through mobile wallets and QR-based solutions. Innovation is central to our acceptance strategy, helping Merchants and partners keep pace as digital commerce evolves.
A clear example is our integration into key public transit systems in cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. We integrate American Express Cards into major global digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay, while also tailoring our approach to local payment ecosystems by enabling American Express Cards as a top-up option on Grab in Singapore, Touch ‘n’ Go in Malaysia, Suica and PayPay in Japan and the Octopus Card on Apple Pay and Google Pay in Hong Kong.
Our confidence in Asia rests on working directly with banks, payment platforms and Merchants, combining our international network with a locally tailored approach, and delivering trusted security, service, and rewards across all payment methods.
ABT: With travel and cross-border commerce on the rise, how can merchants leverage this opportunity to increase their customer base, particularly high-spending global customers?
SHARON CHEW: As travel and cross-border commerce continue to rise, Merchants have an opportunity to attract high-spending global customers. American Express supports this by combining broad acceptance with Card Member offers that encourage cross-border spending. By accepting American Express, merchants can tap into a global base of Card Members who tend to spend more per transaction.
One such example is enabling Alipay and WeChat Pay acceptance for international travelers in China. This enables eligible American Express Card Members traveling in China to pay using familiar local QR payment methods. Eligible American Express Card Members outside of China can use this service by downloading the app, linking their American Express Card and scanning or presenting QR codes to transact at merchants in China.
ABT: American Express has expanded its acceptance across public transportation networks in major Asian cities. How do transit and everyday smaller-ticket transactions fit into the company’s broader growth strategy for the region?
SHARON CHEW: American Express’ growth strategy in Asia focuses on expanding relevance and value in the moments that matter most to Card Members and Merchants. Transit acceptance places American Express at the center of daily routines in cities where contactless and mobile payments are widely adopted. Everyday transactions contribute to a balanced and resilient payments ecosystem, complementing travel and retail spending and broadening use cases for a consistent American Express experience.
Through transit, we are engaging tens of millions of Card Members who take public transportation daily. Amex is accepted by more than 700 transit authorities around the globe with a growing number live with tap-to-pay. As more transit authorities convert to open loop technology, customers will have the ability to use their Cards for these everyday activities, which normalizes using contactless payments more regularly. In May 2025, we launched island-wide transit acceptance in Singapore, enabling Card Members from all over the world to use their American Express cards on bus and metro rides.
ABT: How is Amex adapting its technology and partnerships to meet growing demand and enhance everyday usability for Card Members as contactless payments continue to grow across Asia?
SHARON CHEW: As contactless and digital payments grow across Asia, American Express strengthens everyday usability by combining network-level technology with partnerships across the fintech and payments ecosystem. From authorization and fraud prevention to tokenization and tap-and-go capabilities, partnerships with platforms such as Stripe, Adyen, Razorpay, and regional acquirers support seamless acceptance across high-frequency everyday spend categories.
ABT: How do you see consumer payment preferences evolving across Asia, and where does Amex have a distinct advantage?
SHARON CHEW: Consumer preferences are shifting toward digital-first, contactless, and mobile-led experiences. American Express’ advantage lies in combining global scale with local relevance through its trusted integrated network, supporting strong authorization, security, and service standards as payment behaviors continue to evolve.
ABT: What advantages do merchants gain by accepting Amex, and what insights into customer spending behavior and loyalty resonate most?
SHARON CHEW: Merchants gain access to engaged, high-spending Card Members, supported by data, insights, protections, and benefits from American Express. The average annual spend on American Express Cards in the U.S. is 2.9x that of cards on other networks; the average annual spend on American Express Cards issued outside of the U.S. is 4x when compared to spend on cards on those other networks internationally. Programs such as Shop Small, Amex Offers, and Membership Rewards help drive loyalty, repeat spend, and stronger customer relationships.
8) Given the rapid rise of fintech players reshaping digital payments, how is American Express strengthening its value proposition to remain competitive and relevant?
SHARON CHEW: As fintech platforms introduce new ways for merchants to accept payments, American Express works to ensure that our Cards can be used on these platforms. This allows merchants to easily accept American Express alongside other payment options. By offering global acceptance, modern and reliable payment infrastructure, and access to high-spending Card Members, American Express becomes an attractive partner for fintech companies. When this is combined with Fintechs’ strengths – like deep understanding of industry verticals – American Express is able to remain relevant and competitive as the payments industry continues to change.
For example, American Express partners with innovative providers to deliver solutions such as SoftPOS, which turns NFC-enabled smartphones into secure payment terminals, lowering costs and increasing convenience for merchants. We also support integrated POS solutions that combine payments, banking, lending, and AI-driven insights in one platform, helping small merchants manage their businesses without relying on multiple providers.