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View detailsAmerican Express has a bank — and it has its own routing number
Most people associate American Express exclusively with credit cards and charge cards. But Amex also operates a full FDIC-insured bank — American Express National Bank — offering high-yield savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and checking accounts. This bank is a separate legal entity from the American Express card network, with its own routing number: 124085066.
The distinction matters: your Amex credit card is issued by American Express the card network, while your Amex savings account is held at American Express National Bank the depository institution. Different businesses, different regulatory frameworks, same brand name.
Why Utah
American Express National Bank is chartered in Utah, reflected in the 124 prefix — corresponding to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Salt Lake City processing center. Utah has become a popular chartering state for financial institutions because of its favorable regulatory environment. Ally Bank and Goldman Sachs' Marcus are also chartered there. The bank originally operated as American Express Centurion Bank before rebranding; the routing number has remained 124085066 through both names.
What the routing number covers — and what it doesn't
124085066 applies to all American Express National Bank deposit products: high-yield savings accounts, CDs, checking accounts, and any ACH or direct deposit transactions involving those accounts. It is not used for credit card payments. When you pay your Amex credit card bill, you provide the routing number of your external bank — not the Amex bank routing number.
This is a common source of confusion. If you have both an Amex savings account and an Amex credit card, they live in entirely separate systems. Your savings account uses 124085066. Your credit card has its own account number with no routing number at all — credit cards don't use the ACH network.
Where to find your routing number
Log into your American Express savings or checking account at americanexpress.com — separate from the credit card login — and navigate to account details. The routing number is displayed alongside your account number. In the Amex mobile app, look under the banking section specifically, not the card accounts section.
Amex deposits vs. Amex cards
American Express is unusual in operating as both a card network and an issuing bank simultaneously. Most card networks — Visa and Mastercard — don't issue cards directly to consumers; those cards are always issued by separate banks. Amex issues its own cards and runs its own network. The bank side, governed by the OCC as a national bank, is subject to entirely different regulations than the card network. This dual structure is part of why Amex can offer competitive savings rates — deposits fund lending operations that complement the card business.
How Slash streamlines business finances beyond cards
American Express has long understood that businesses need payment cards and deposit accounts working together. Slash unifies that concept into a single platform built specifically for companies — business deposit accounts, unlimited virtual and physical cards, real-time spend management, and automated expense tracking, all in one place. No separate logins for your cards and your bank account.
