Citigroup Deal on American Express Cards Could Spark Others

Citigroup’s move to issue American Express branded credit cards may prompt other banks to abandon the traditional practice of issuing only Visa and MasterCard cards, industry analysts said on Tuesday.

But while the Citigroup/American Express contract, unveiled Monday, will offer a wider range of choices to the 127 million U.S. consumers holding credit cards, experts were unsure just how much card users will actually benefit.