American Express has introduced Flexible Payment Option (FPO), a feature enabling businesses to manage statement repayments through an embedded line of credit on Business Platinum and Gold Cards.
The US-based payments network announced the launch on 5 February 2026 for new cardmembers in the UK. The feature allows businesses to repay their full statement balance or spread payments over time with interest charges applied to outstanding amounts.
Cardmembers retain access to up to 54 calendar days' interest-free period before payment is due. The option is managed through online accounts or the American Express mobile application, where users can select to pay the full balance, the minimum amount due, or any sum between these thresholds.
Feature responds to SME financing priorities
The launch follows research conducted by American Express in 2025, which found that 31% of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) identified cashflow management as a primary business focus. Additionally, 26% of respondents indicated that repayment flexibility is a significant factor when evaluating business financing solutions.
The FPO operates as an integrated credit facility rather than a separate loan product. No interest accrues if cardmembers clear the total balance by the statement due date. When balances are carried forward, interest charges apply to the remaining amount.
American Express Business Platinum and Gold Cards operate without pre-set spending limits. The spending capacity adjusts based on factors including payment history, business spending patterns, and financial resources, providing variable purchasing power aligned with business requirements.
Membership Rewards programme continues
Cardmembers continue to earn Membership Rewards points on business expenditure, redeemable for travel, experiences, or purchases. The rewards programme operates alongside the new payment flexibility feature.
The feature is currently available only to new cardmembers applying for Business Platinum or Gold Cards.
In the UK market, American Express competes with business card offerings from Barclays, NatWest, HSBC, and specialist providers such as Soldo and Pleo. These competitors offer varying approaches to credit facilities, spending controls, and expense management for business customers.
American Express operates a closed-loop network model, functioning as both card issuer and payment processor. This structure differs from open-loop networks such as Visa and Mastercard, where issuing banks provide credit facilities separately from the payment network.
