Payments company American Express has introduced an innovative feature designed to enhance the travel experience by launching blockchain-based stamps for customers, serving as a digital keepsake of their journeys. Each travel stamp will be formatted as an ERC-721 non-fungible token (NFT) and stored on the Ethereum layer-2 solution called Base, ensuring that travelers can preserve their travel histories and cherished overseas memories.
Luke Gebb, Executive Vice President of Amex Digital Labs, emphasized the nostalgia associated with travel, stating, “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.” He noted that as traditional physical passport stamps become less common, the Amex Passport initiative provides a unique opportunity for cardholders to celebrate their travel experiences.
The stamps are customizable, allowing users to highlight their most memorable moments from each trip, which may include significant attractions, exceptional meals, hotel experiences, or favorite activities. However, eligibility for the Amex Passport is limited solely to U.S. Amex consumer cardholders who have linked their cards to an online account. The NFT stamps cannot be transferred between users.
To maintain privacy, each stamp will display only the country or region, a brief description, and the date when the stamp was earned, ensuring that personal information and detailed trip data remain confidential. Interestingly, data from Base’s blockchain explorer, BaseScan, indicates that the smart contract for these travel stamps was established about 25 days ago.
This initiative represents a growing trend of companies utilizing public blockchain technology to securely store data without relying on centralized servers. This follows a broader governmental trend, including a recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce that it intends to start publishing economic statistics, such as gross domestic product figures, on the blockchain.
The demand for such digital keepsake solutions is notable, as evidenced by a recent survey from American Express, which revealed that 73% of respondents expressed interest in having more digital ways to commemorate their past travels. Furthermore, 56% of those surveyed admitted to missing the experience of receiving passport stamps upon their arrival in new countries.
Amex travel stamps are designed to be shareable on social media platforms or to be stored in users’ camera rolls, with trips booked through American Express over the past two years automatically added to each customer’s collection.
While the crypto travel sector remains relatively niche, it has been gaining traction recently. In February, the crypto-centric travel platform Travala incorporated cryptocurrency payment options for an extensive range of hotels on Trivago, a popular hotel metasearch engine. Data from Travala released in May highlighted that crypto users typically spend three times more on average hotel bookings and often stay longer, influenced by the flexibility of remote working.
Additionally, a report from Triple-A noted that 14% of cryptocurrency transactions were allocated to travel and hospitality in 2024, coinciding with a growing number of airlines that have started accepting cryptocurrency for bookings. As digital currencies gradually integrate more deeply into the tourism sector, initiatives like Amex’s travel stamps illustrate a novel intersection of technology and travel, enriching the experiences of globetrotters.
