On February 17, 2027, two of the six Amex Business Gold 4x categories get a lot smaller. Advertising and wireless phone service will still earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar, but only when you pay one of a short list of named companies directly.
For a business that runs ads with a mix of platforms or pays a smaller phone carrier, that can quietly move spending from 4x down to the base rate. The other four bonus categories are not part of this change.
How the Amex Business Gold 4x categories work today
The Business Gold does not ask you to pick a bonus category. Each billing cycle, Amex looks at where your business spent the most among six eligible groups and pays 4x on the top two. The 4x rate is capped at $150,000 in purchases per calendar year.
The six groups in the current terms are:
- Advertising in select media (online, TV and radio) from U.S. media providers
- U.S. restaurants, takeout and delivery included
- U.S. electronic goods retailers plus software and cloud system providers
- U.S. gas stations
- Transit, from rideshare, taxis and trains to buses, subways, ferries, parking and tolls
- Monthly wireless phone service charges from U.S. providers
Because the top two are picked for you every cycle, the groups work together. If one stops qualifying for part of your spend, another can move up and take its slot, which softens the hit for some owners and not others.
The two categories losing ground on February 17
According to the card’s updated Business Gold terms from American Express, both categories switch from a broad merchant type to a named list of companies.
| Category | Earns 4x now | Earns 4x from February 17, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising | Online, TV and radio ads from any U.S. media provider | Only ads bought directly from Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, GoDaddy or Yelp |
| Phone service | Any U.S. provider’s monthly wireless plan | Only direct payments to Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Frontier, Comcast, Charter, Spectrum Mobile, UScellular, Optimum, Ultra Mobile or Mint Mobile |
| Other four groups | Electronics and software, restaurants, gas, transit | No change announced |
| Annual 4x cap | $150,000 | No change announced |
Which businesses lose 4x on ads and phone bills
Advertisers using smaller platforms. The ad category now rewards six companies only. A shop that spends mainly on Google Ads and Meta is in good shape. A brand putting real money into a platform not on the six-name list, or into local TV and radio, should expect that portion to fall out of the 4x bucket.
Anyone paying through a middleman. The new wording says purchases made directly with the listed companies. If an agency or reseller buys your ads and bills your card, those charges may no longer count, even when the ads run on Google or Meta.
Teams on budget or regional carriers. The wireless list covers the three national networks plus several cable and prepaid brands. A carrier that is not named is the one to check before the cutoff.
Amex has not said whether a brand owned by a listed company, or a sub-brand sold under its own name, will count as buying directly from the parent. Until that is clear, the safest read of the new rules is literal: if the merchant name on your statement is not on the list, plan as if that charge will no longer earn the bonus rate.
What to check before the cutoff
- Pull the last few statements and sort ad and phone charges by merchant name.
- Mark which charges match the six ad companies or the eleven wireless providers exactly.
- See which categories won your recent cycles. If restaurants, gas or software usually lead, this change may barely touch you.
- For ads bought through an agency, ask whether the card charge can come from the platform itself.
That last step matters most for heavy advertisers. If your agency can let the platform bill your card directly, that change could keep the spend earning 4x after February.
This is also the second trim to the card in a short span. Amex already swapped FedEx out for UPS on the $240 flexible business credit, which we covered in our look at the FedEx removal from the Business Gold credit.
What Amex has not said yet
A few questions about the new Amex Business Gold 4x categories have no public answer yet. The terms do not spell out whether current cardholders and new applicants switch on the same date, or how Amex will tell existing members.
The category update does not mention the annual fee or welcome offer. For the rest of the card’s perks, our complete guide to the American Express Business Gold Card covers the details.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Amex Business Gold 4x limit?
The 4x rate applies to up to $150,000 in purchases per calendar year. Amex has not announced any change to that cap.
Do Amazon ads still earn 4x on the Amex Business Gold?
Yes. Amazon is one of the six advertising companies named in the new terms, so ads bought directly from Amazon still qualify after February 17, 2027.
Are restaurants still a 4x category on the Amex Business Gold?
Yes. Only the advertising and wireless groups are being narrowed. Restaurants, gas, transit and electronics and software are not part of the change.
Is the Business Gold still a fit for your ad and phone spend?
If your ads run on Google, Meta or Amazon and your phones are with a major carrier, the new rules change almost nothing for you. If you buy media through an agency or pay a carrier that is not named, run the statement check now so February brings no surprises. The card still rewards concentrated spending; it just wants to see the right names on the receipt.
