The news: American Express will offer virtual cards through SAP Concur to simplify expense management for commercial card users, per a press release.

Amex virtual cards have unique card numbers and security codes connected to a business’s main corporate card so that employees can connect their virtual cards to their Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet.

Administrators can set spending caps for employees and manage employee spending through Concur Expense. 

Why this matters: Commercial card volume is boosting revenues for issuers. In Amex’s most recent earnings, business spending was a significant driver of the company’s network volume for Q4 2025:

• US SME commercial services represented 23% of total network volume.
• US large and global corporate commercial services made up 5% of total network volume.
• And international SME and large corporate services contributed 8% of total network volume.

Offering more convenient ways for businesses to use Amex cards for commercial expenses will drive more network volume over time.

Implications for payment providers: As tariffs, geopolitical instability, and war exacerbate economic uncertainty, offering businesses more flexibility around their expenses can win loyalty, especially SMBs trying to manage supply shocks and tariffs while maintaining razor-thin margins.