Built for Control
Less time on paperwork. More time for growth. Introducing the virtual payment solution that simplifies the supplier payments process so you can spend more time on your business.
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Process efficiencies through a straightforward, user-friendly digital payment solution with transaction level controls and enhanced data capture
With Virtual Payments from American Express, you can streamline your payment and reconciliation process and get greater control over your company’s spend. Assign a single-use Account number to a transaction, project, commodity or staff member, set specific pre-authorisation amounts, date ranges, and transaction details with a virtual payment solution designed with your business in mind.
Why American Express® Business vPayment?
Maximise Control
Determine payment setting for how the Account number is used while linking payments to expenses for automated reconciliation.
Save Money
Reduce paperwork and billing errors through a streamlined payment process whilst creating efficiencies across the payment lifecycle by automating.
Save Time
Pay vendors quicker with specific-use payments that enhance and grow supplier relationships.
How does American Express® vPayment work?
Set parameters
Choose from up to 20 customisable fields such as cost centre, job code, requisition number, event number and project code.
Create VirtualAccount Number
The American Express @ Work® platform enables you to generate a single-use or multi-use Virtual Account Number for the transaction.
Processpayment
The supplier charges your American Express® vPayment Account.
Verifypayment
The virtual payment processing platform verifies the transaction. If all the parameters are met, the transaction is approved and the payment is initiated.
Start your American Express vPayment application
Fill out the form to request a call back from a Specialist or reach out to us at 0800 085 7725, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
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Frequently Asked Questions
American Express vPayment is a virtual payment product that assigns a single-use or multi-use Virtual Account Number to each transaction. Program Administrators can set payment amounts, date ranges and transaction details to help improve control and streamline reconciliation processes while also reducing paperwork, fraud risk, and billing errors.
After setting up your American Express vPayment Account, you and your finance staff can set controls and parameters for each transaction. The platform automatically generates a single- or multi-use Virtual Account Number. Because this number is a digital token and is not tied to any of your existing Corporate Card numbers, it can help reduce the risk of fraud. The Virtual Account Number is applied to each unique transaction and the system approves it if it falls within all the parameters.
A Virtual Account Number (VAN) is a payment number used for bookings made with the vPayment Account. To learn more about how Virtual Payments work for hotel bookings, you can read our Virtual Payments Guide here.
vPayment is accepted at any merchant that accepts American Express. Additional set-up for the merchant is not required. Foreign exchange fees may apply.
The Virtual Account Number should be entered into your authorisation and settlement system/terminal like a standard keyed transaction (such as Card Member-not-present or Card number-on-file). American Express confirms that there is no requirement to see a physical Card for this transaction as the booking is settled by your corporate customer and not the individual traveller. Please find below additional information and guidance on the acceptance of American Express Corporate virtual/lodged non-plastic products that are fully exempt from SCA. Merchants/Payment Gateways should ensure that transaction involving these products are processed straight to Authorisation as they do not require SCA. However, we do provide guidance below if the transaction is being sent through to 3DS SafeKey so you are aware of the responses provided through that route. Online Transactions or Pay by link via 3DS SafeKey
American Express is able to identify these non-plastic Card (virtual) products and will send back the appropriate 3DS SafeKey response code, thereby excluding them from requiring American Express SafeKey authentication.
- If you are still using SafeKey version 1.0: non-eligible Cards will receive an “N” value in the Verification Enrolment Response (VERes=N), no (Electronic Commerce Indicator) ECI is provided, and the transaction should progress for authorisation as no SafeKey transactions.
- If you are using SafeKey version 2.1 (or higher): non-eligible Cards will receive a Transaction Status value of “U”, a Transaction Status Reason Code of “80”, an ECI value of “07” in the Ares message, and the transaction should progress for authorisation as no SafeKey transactions.
Find more ways to streamline business spend
Buyer Initiated Payments
Optimise your working capital and maintain control of your supplier payments.
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Corporate Purchasing Card
Consolidate multiple employee expenses and process them as one easy payment.
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