American Express
![](/Images/godic/202412/20/American_Express_logo.svg2640.png"){kind=logo}
![American Express Co. shipping receipt, New York City to St. Louis, MO (August 6, 1860)](/Images/godic/202412/20/American_Express_Shipping_Receipt_18532640.jpg")
![Shearson Lehman logo](/Images/godic/202412/20/Shearson_Lehman_Logo2640.png"){kind=logo}
![American Express Tower (tallest, left) in New York City](/Images/godic/202412/20/World_Financial_Center2640.jpg")
The American Express Company, also known as Amex, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan's Three World Financial Center in New York City, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best known for its credit card, charge card, and traveler's cheque businesses. Amex cards account for approximately 24% of the total dollar volume of credit card transactions in the US.