Payments Power Play: MA or AXP, Who Has the Deeper Moat in 2026?

Key Takeaways Mastercard posts 18% Q4 revenue growth, 57.7% operating margin and four straight earnings beats.AmEx grew Q4 revenue 10%, beat earnings thrice and missed once in the past four quarters.MA trades at 26.38X forward P/E versus AXP's 19.29X, reflecting investor confidence.The global payments landscape continues to expand as digital transactions displace cash and cross-border commerce grows. Two industry titans, Mastercard Incorporated (MA) and American Express Company (AXP) , remain central to tha ...