American Express's pioneering patents in NFC/contactless payment technology, point-of-sale terminal systems, and advanced authentication protocols have fundamentally transformed global commerce, enabling the seamless, secure transactions that power today's digital economy. These breakthrough innovations in card transaction processing, identity management, and sophisticated fraud detection algorithms have become the invisible infrastructure supporting billions of daily payments worldwide, from contactless smartphone purchases to enterprise-level payment processing systems. The company's patented technologies have been instrumental in making possible the "tap-to-pay" revolution, secure mobile wallets, and real-time fraud prevention systems that protect consumers and merchants across every payment channel. From enabling instant contactless payments at coffee shops to powering complex multi-layered security systems that safeguard global financial networks, American Express's payment patents continue to drive innovation and create unprecedented value across the entire financial services ecosystem.