AMEX vs. Airwallex: company cards for Hong Kong businesses

As Hong Kong companies face growing challenges with finance and payments, a suitable company card can enhance overall efficiency and flexibility. These cards allow expenses to be paid by the company directly, enabling employees to cover expenses without affecting their personal credit. Businesses can choose cards tailored to specific needs, such as cross-border transactions, procurement, or travel, making fund management more streamlined and effective.
Company cards (or business cards) are not just payment tools, but also vital for financial management, cash flow, and expense control. The right card can
Enhance payment efficiency: handle daily expenses and cross-border transactions swiftly.
Reduce costs: lower foreign exchange and cross-border fees.
Strengthen financial management: centrally monitor and manage employee spending, increasing transparency.
Offer benefits and rebates: accumulate points or cash rebate, reducing business expenses.
Spend globally with 0% foreign card transaction fees
What are American Express (AMEX) company cards?
American Express (AMEX) is one of the world's leading credit card brands, offering several company cards tailored for businesses. These cards provide flexible credit limits, extensive member benefits, and premium business services. Here are three common types of AMEX company cards:
Common AMEX company cards
American Express Business Gold Card
Up to 51 days interest-free repayment when paying suppliers with this business card.
No preset spending limit, adjustable based on spending needs and repayment ability.
Comprehensive business support services, such as emergency card replacement, cheque cashing, and car breakdown assistance.
American Express Corporate Gold Card
Payment records can be directly loaded into most company accounting programmes, synchronising data files for reporting and reconciliation.
Flexible billing options to align with payment cycles of different suppliers
Comprehensive travel insurance, shopping protection, and emergency support services, ideal for businesses with frequent travel.
American Express Business Card
Flexible points programme and various business benefits.
Automatic travel protection when paying for travel tickets with the card.
Relatively low annual fee, suitable for businesses looking to balance costs.
What is an Airwallex Borderless Card?
Airwallex is a leading financial platform dedicated to providing payment solutions built for global commerce. With over 60 financial licences worldwide, we serve 150,000+ businesses with comprehensive yet affordable payment and collection services.
Businesses can activate multi-currency Airwallex Borderless Cards online, including company and employee cards, to manage expenses flexibly. Application is simple and completely free, and the card is accepted at all Visa-accepting merchants worldwide.
With Airwallex’s Borderless Card, businesses can enjoy 0% overseas transaction fees. This multi-currency business card is ideal for covering overall expenses, such as supplier payments, while the employee card is suitable for travel and business expenses, such as airfare, hotels, and meals. Managers can view transaction records at any time and set daily, weekly, monthly, or even quarterly or annual spending limits to efficiently plan and manage budgets.
| AMEX company cards | Airwallex Borderless Card |
---|---|---|
Fees | Annual fees vary by card type, and 2% foreign transaction fee | $0 annual fee, and 0% foreign transaction fees in 10+ major currencies |
Exchange rates (if FX is needed) | Includes foreign exchange premium | As low as 0.2% above interbank exchange rates |
Benefits* | Offers travel insurance, dining, hotel discounts, and more | Unlimited 1% cash rebate on overseas and local spending, and travelling benefits with partners |
Acceptance | Widely accepted, except for smaller merchants. | Global acceptance through the Visa network |
Card issuance | Typically longer approval time and requires more documentation | Simple process with instant online application |
Availability of virtual cards | Primarily offers physical cards | Virtual cards are available |
*T&Cs apply.
The Airwallex Borderless Card offers greater advantages in terms of fees, exchange rates, and virtual card functionality. With 0% cross-border transaction fees for 11+ currencies, it is ideal for businesses with frequent cross-border transactions. AMEX company cards excel in member benefits and brand recognition, suitable for businesses that value travel and premium services.
Comparison of additional features: AMEX vs Airwallex
Airwallex: Expense Management
Real-time expense monitoring: Businesses can view employee expenses in real-time via the Airwallex WebApp, facilitating financial management
Budget control: Set budget limits to prevent overspending
Airwallex cards also feature automated synchronisation, updating with the accounting software Xero every hour, reducing errors, and ensuring control and transparency.
AMEX: Exclusive member services
Travel insurance: Covers travel accidents to ensure safety during business trips.
Global emergency support: Members can contact global support services for legal and medical assistance while travelling.
Airwallex Borderless Card: tailored for global businesses
The Airwallex Borderless Card excels in cross-border payments with a 0% cross-border transaction fee. It offers competitive exchange rates and reduces payment costs compared to traditional bank cards.
Airwallex also provides robust financial management tools and flexibility. Its multi-currency cards offer businesses more flexible fund management and instant transaction capabilities. Through a unified management platform, businesses can handle multiple currencies and payments across different countries, reducing manual operations and errors.
As a business owner, if you want to reduce expenses for international payments and improve the team's cash flow, open a Business Account today to apply for the Airwallex Borderless Card.
Spend globally with 0% foreign card transaction fees
Sources:
Information about AMEX was sourced in March 2025. For the latest details, please visit the official AMEX website.
https://www.americanexpress.com/zh-hk/business/business-card/
https://www.americanexpress.com/zh-hk/business/ae-gold-business-card/
https://www.americanexpress.com/hk/ch/charge-cards/corporate-gold-card/
https://www.americanexpress.com/hk/ch/business/compare-corporate-cards/
https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/hk/shared/Forms/HK306452B_C.pdf
Disclaimer: The information was based on our own online research and we were not able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. This research is reviewed every 6 months. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [email protected].
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Kirstie Lau is a fintech writer at Airwallex, and has built up a wealth of knowledge in financial operations systems. In her day-to-day, she dedicates herself to crafting content that fits the unique needs of businesses seeking financial operations solutions. Kirstie’s background in analytics and product marketing gives her a unique perspective on guiding businesses through the complex world of payments.
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