American Express Begins Issuing Contactless Payment Cards Nationwide and Signs 7-Eleven, Inc. as Newest ExpressPay Merchant

NEW YORK — American Express announced today that it has begun issuing Blue from American Express® with the ExpressPay feature in all 50 states. ExpressPay, a contactless chip for easy, convenient and secure payment, will be embedded in all new Blue from American Express® consumer and small business credit cards moving forward. In addition, the Company announced 7-Eleven, Inc. (NYSE: SE) as the latest national merchant partner to accept ExpressPay. 7-Eleven currently has ExpressPay-enabled readers in 170 stores in a test market and plans a full roll out to its more than 5,300 U.S. stores by early 2006.

ExpressPay is a new payment feature that consists of a secure computer chip powered by radio frequency technology. Designed for purchases at locations where speed and convenience are important — such as convenience stores, quick-serve restaurants, supermarkets, drug stores and gas stations — it is an easy-to-use alternative to cash. Users simply hold Blue with ExpressPay next to a special reader at checkout to make purchases. Payment is authorized in seconds and no signature is required. The computer chip enables end-to-end transaction security. Blue from American Express also has a magnetic strip and functions as a traditional credit card.