News

Amex adds 4K Walmart stores to Serve prepaid network

April 25, 2014

American Express this week announced that its full-service reloadable prepaid account, Serve, is now available through 4,100 Walmart stores nationwide. Serve customers can add cash to their account for free at 19,500 Walmart, CVS and participating 7-ELEVEN locations in the U.S., and withdraw cash from their accounts for free at 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs.

Serve will join Bluebird by American Express, a prepaid joint venture with Walmart that launched in 2012. Bluebird was converted into a virtual bank in March 2013 and will continue to be available for customers seeking an alternative to a checking or debit account. Both cards participate in the MoneyPass network.

"Bluebird is a great option for the 'unhappily banked' who are looking for a true alternative to the fees and hidden charges often associated with debit and checking," said Dan Schulman, group president of enterprise growth at American Express. "With Serve, our full-service reloadable prepaid account, we can now provide the nearly 70 million Americans who are unbanked or underbanked a simple and affordable way to move and manage their money."

Customers can add as much as $500 or as little as $20 in cash for free at the register. The money is immediately available to spend in store or online where American Express Cards are accepted.

Customers can also use these funds to pay bills or transfer money from their balance for everyday spending into a linked reserve to set aside money for a vacation, special event or emergency.

For a $1 monthly fee, Serve customers can pay bills online, add checks to their account using mobile check capture, and get free ATM withdrawals at MoneyPass ATMs (customers who use an ATM outside the MoneyPass network will be charged a $2 fee). The monthly fee is waived if customers use Direct Deposit to add money to their account or add $500 or more to their account during a monthly statement period.