American Express — Carta Verde
American Express Italia S.r.l. · American Express
The American Express Green Card is an option credit card on the proprietary Amex network, free the first year then €7/month (€84/year). It is the entry point to the Membership Rewards programme (1 point per €1 spent, redeemable at roughly €4 per 1,000 points) and offers a €30 annual insurance credit. It requires income ≥€11,000, charges a 2.5% FX fee and carries the lower acceptance of the Amex network versus Visa/Mastercard.
Data & conditions
| Network | American Express |
|---|---|
| Card type | Revolving credit |
| Backing | Unsecured |
| APR | 19.42% (variable) |
| Credit limit | €12,500 |
| Issuing bank | American Express |
| Issuance fee | Free |
| Annual fee | €84/year |
| ATM withdrawal | 3.9% |
| FX markup | 2.5% |
| Cashback | Not disclosed |
| Contactless | Yes |
| Virtual card | Yes |
| KYC | Full |
| Privacy | 2/10 |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Funding / solidity | Circuito globale American Express · carta di credito d'ingresso a Membership Rewards |
| Regulator | Banca d'Italia (vigilanza istituti di pagamento) |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Global American Express network · entry-level Membership Rewards credit card |
| MiCA / License status | Istituto di pagamento / emittente carte (American Express) American Express card issuer (IT) |
Plans & pricing
Strengths
- Free the first year and a low fee (€84/year) from the second
- Access to Membership Rewards: 1 point per €1 spent on all purchases
- €30 annual statement credit on insurance, Amex Offers and 10% on Tiqets
- Fraud and purchase protection of the American Express network
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- Modest Membership Rewards point value (~€4 per 1,000 points, about 0.4% base return)
- 2.5% FX fee on foreign-currency purchases
- American Express network less accepted than Visa/Mastercard, especially at small merchants
- Expensive cash withdrawals (3.9%, minimum €1.25–2.60) and income requirement ≥€11,000
- Traditional credit card: not self-custody — the account requires full KYC, a credit check, and can be closed or reported to credit bureaus by the issuer.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Funds can be frozen at the platform’s discretion.
- Subject to regulation (American Express card issuer (IT)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
- FATF-aligned jurisdiction: strong cooperation with authorities.
Verdict
The Green Card is the low-cost entry to the Amex world and Membership Rewards: free the first year, €84/year after, with a €30 insurance credit that softens the fee. The limit is the modest MR point value (~0.4%), which gives a return below the 1% cashback of the Blue Card in the same range, combined with 2.5% FX and lower Amex acceptance. It suits only those who value Membership Rewards redemptions; otherwise the rating stays below average.
A credit card is a credit line, not custody of funds: there is neither self-custody nor a user balance here. It remains, however, a fully tracked and censorable instrument — full KYC, an American Express (US group) issuer that profiles transactions and can suspend the line. On the sovereignty lens it is the opposite of trustless tools: no anonymity, no censorship resistance.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
How much does the Amex Green Card cost?
It is free the first year, then €7/month (€84/year) from the second. It requires gross annual income ≥€11,000.
Does it give cashback or points?
No cashback: it earns Membership Rewards points (1 point per €1 spent), redeemable on travel and shopping at roughly €4 per 1,000 points.
Sources
- Official service page Quota · Requisiti Data verified on Jul 12, 2026