American Express Offers NFT Passport Stamp Feature For Customers

Payments company American Express has launched blockchain-based stamps for customers as a digital keepsake of their travels.

Each travel stamp will be stored as an ERC-721 non-fungible token on the Ethereum layer-2 Base to preserve their travel history and their favorite overseas memories, according to the company’s website. 

“Part of the magic of travel is reminiscing about past getaways, and commemorative keepsakes are a powerful way for travelers to relive their favorite trips,” Amex Digital Labs Executive Vice President Luke Gebb said on Monday. 

“As physical passport stamps continue to disappear, Amex Passport creates an opportunity for Card Members to celebrate their travels.” 

Each stamp can be customized to highlight the best experiences from each trip, such as a special attraction, standout meal, or hotel stay, or favorite activity, Amex said.

Only those holding a US Amex consumer card linked to their online account are eligible for the Amex Passport, and the NFTs cannot be transferred.

Each stamp will only show the country or region of the stamp, stamp description, and the date of when the stamp was earned, Amex said, adding that personal information and trip details won’t be visible on Base. 

Data from Base’s block explorer, BaseScan, shows that the Amex travel stamp smart contract was created 25 days ago.

The development is the latest example of a public blockchain helping corporations and their users securely store data without a centralized server. 

Last month, the US Department of Commerce said it would start publishing economic statistics, including gross domestic product data, on the blockchain. 

NFT travel stamps coincide with demand for digital keepsakes

Demand for new travel stamp solutions is strong, too, according to a recent Amex survey, which found 73% of respondents wanted more ways to commemorate past trips digitally.

Another 56% said they missed receiving passport stamps when arriving in a new country.

Amex travel stamps can be shared on social media or saved to a camera roll, and trips booked through Amex up to two years ago will be automatically added for customers.

Crypto is slowly being integrated into the tourism sector 

The crypto travel industry remains relatively niche but has picked up the pace in recent months.

Related: Blue chip NFTs sink double digits as ETH retreats from record highs

In February, crypto-native travel platform Travala integrated crypto payment options for 2.2 million hotels on Trivago, a hotel metasearch engine that allows users to compare accommodation prices from various booking sites.

Data from Travala in May showed crypto users typically spend three times more for an average hotel stay and typically stay longer in a certain place to accompany their flexible and remote working lifestyles.

Meanwhile, Triple-A data states that 14% of crypto transactions were spent on travel and hospitality in 2024, while more airlines started accepting crypto for bookings.

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