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It can, but it depends on your customer base. American Express cardholders skew toward business, corporate and higher-spend segments, so for some businesses accepting Amex captures spend that would otherwise go elsewhere, while for others the extra volume is small. The honest answer is that it varies by business, and the way to judge it is to look at how much of your turnover actually comes through Amex against what it costs you to accept. Amex is not covered by the RBA surcharging changes, so if you accept it, confirm your current Amex position with your payment provider.
Last updated: 2 July 2026
The case for accepting American Express rests on who uses it. Amex is more common among business and corporate cardholders and higher-spend consumers, and some of those customers will choose where they shop partly on whether they can use their card and earn its rewards. For a business that serves those segments, taking Amex can capture spend that might otherwise walk. For a business whose customers rarely reach for an Amex, the same acceptance cost buys very little extra volume. There is no single answer because the customer mix is different for every business.
Rather than guess, look at your own data. Your merchant statement or provider dashboard shows how much of your turnover comes through American Express, and that share, set against what Amex costs you to accept, is the real test. If a meaningful slice of revenue arrives on Amex, dropping it to save on fees can cost more than it saves; if it is a rounding error, the cost is harder to justify. Because both the customer mix and the cost vary by business and provider, the decision should be made on your numbers, not on a rule of thumb.
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If the reason you are weighing Amex is cost, a better overall rate may change the maths. From 1 October 2026 surcharging on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa will no longer be permitted, and American Express is not covered by that RBA change, though providers including Tyro and Eway have said they will remove Amex surcharging on 1 October 2026, and Eway reports Amex has announced its own change from that date, so confirm the Amex position with your payment provider. Once you can no longer pass card costs on, keeping Amex customers and protecting your margin both point to the same move: compare your rate across all card types, including Amex. MerchantRates partner rates start as low as 0.89% for businesses that qualify.
Sources: RBA Conclusions Paper media release (mr-26-10) · ACCC card surcharges guidance · Eway: RBA reform response · Tyro: surcharge ban confirmed.
Information current as at 2 July 2026.
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