Amex Teams With Navan on Virtual Card Security

Navan announced Tuesday (July 29) that it has partnered with American Express to offer unique virtual card numbers with embedded expense controls for U.S. business and corporate cards.

When travelers make bookings with their American Express card on Navan, a travel booking and business expense platform, their real card numbers won’t be used. Instead, new numbers linked to their cards will be created on Navan for increased security.

Moreover, companies can set custom spending rules, such as limits, categories, vendors or expiration dates, for each virtual card. This helps prevent unauthorized use and enforces travel policies.

Other credit card companies that have offered virtual cards include Capital One and JPMorgan Chase. Brex and Ramp, two corporate card startups, have also popularized virtual cards as part of broader financial automation platforms. Brex enables teams to create unlimited virtual cards with spend limits by department or vendor, while Ramp integrates them into its budgeting workflows.

Navan’s partnership with American Express lets users “bring your own card” while preserving the benefits of their existing American Express corporate cards and leveraging Navan’s travel and expense platform.

Once a transaction occurs, pending and cleared charges automatically appear in the Navan Expense dashboard, helping finance teams stay current on budgets and identify cost-saving opportunities.

The collaboration also promises to streamline reconciliation at month’s end. By automating expense reporting and integrating virtual card data, the platform reduces manual work while allowing companies to continue earning rewards on eligible American Express cards.

Cardholders can use on-demand virtual cards for travel payments while maintaining eligibility for rewards points. The integration is available via Navan Connect, the company’s card-linking technology that has processed more than $1 billion in transactions since January 2024.

The move comes as companies seek greater visibility and flexibility in travel spending, with virtual cards playing a growing role in spending controls and fraud reduction.

Navan is joining American Express’ Sync Commercial Partner Program in a bid to integrate more seamlessly with financial technology platforms and improve the value proposition for its corporate customers.

Read more:

Navan IPO to Test Investor Appetite for B2B FinTech Platforms

Mastercard and Pay4You Launch European Spend Management Partnership

WEX Corporate Payments Chief Says Virtual Cards Adoption Needs a Strategy Refresh