If You Invested $1,000 in Visa or American Express 10 Years Ago, Here’s What You’d Have Today

2 days ago 5

Trey Thoelcke

Mon, March 9, 2026 astatine 9:20 AM CDT 4 min read

Visa (V) turned $1,000 into $4,821 implicit 10 years (+382%) but is down 9.32% YTD. American Express (AXP) turned $1,000 into $5,833 (+483%) but is down 18.46% YTD.
Amex’s combined web and lending model, focused connected premium cardholders, generated stronger returns than Visa’s axenic outgo web contempt higher recognition hazard exposure.
The expert who called NVIDIA successful 2010 conscionable named his apical 10 AI stocks. Get them present FREE.

Ten years ago, a $1,000 concern divided betwixt Visa (NYSE: V) and American Express (NYSE: AXP) would person seemed similar a harmless stake connected planetary payments. The results mightiness astonishment you, depending connected which institution you favored.

Visa built its decennary connected 1 idea: ain the rails, not the cargo. As a axenic outgo network, Visa earns fees each clip a paper transaction clears without taking connected recognition risk. That asset-light exemplary generated bonzer margins and accordant currency flow. Cross-border volume, integer payments growth, and the planetary displacement distant from currency were almighty tailwinds. Visa besides became a exertion infrastructure company, investing successful tokenization, real-time payments, and stablecoin colony capabilities.

American Express played a antithetic game. As some a paper web and a lender, it earns from merchant fees, paper fees, and involvement income. Over the past decade, Amex leaned into its premium marque with discipline. CEO Stephen Squeri doubled down connected affluent cardholders, refreshed flagship products similar the Platinum Card, and captured younger spenders: Gen Z and millennials present correspond 60% of caller paper acquisitions. Net paper interest revenues person posted double-digit maturation for 30 consecutive quarters. Amex softly outpaced Visa by a wide margin.

READ: The expert who called NVIDIA successful 2010 just named his apical 10 AI stocks

Visa (V): $1,000 Invested March 2016

1-Year Return: Initial $1,000 / Current Value: $929 / Total Return: −7.10% / S&P 500 aforesaid period: $1,174 (+17.4%)
5-Year Return: Initial $1,000 / Current Value: $1,529 / Total Return: +52.86% / S&P 500 aforesaid period: $1,753 (+75.27%)
10-Year Return: Initial $1,000 / Current Value: $4,821 / Total Return: +382.05% / S&P 500 aforesaid period: $3,389 (+238.9%)

American Express (AXP): $1,000 Invested March 2016

1-Year Return: Initial $1,000 / Current Value: $1,104 / Total Return: +10.38% / S&P 500 aforesaid period: $1,174 (+17.4%)
5-Year Return: Initial $1,000 / Current Value: $2,171 / Total Return: +117.07% / S&P 500 aforesaid period: $1,753 (+75.27%)
10-Year Return: Initial $1,000 / Current Value: $5,833 / Total Return: +483.31% / S&P 500 aforesaid period: $3,389 (+238.9%)