American Express Antitrust Settlement 2026: Final Approval Granted, Here’s What’s Next
Quick Answer
- Real settlement: Moskowitz v. American Express, Case No. 1:19-cv-00566, received final approval July 7, 2026.
- Only the Illinois non-rewards credit card class can be paid, out of 12 total certified classes.
- The claim deadline was May 19, 2026, and has already passed for anyone who didn’t file.
If you’re searching “American Express antitrust settlement,” here’s the current answer: it’s real, and it just cleared a major milestone, final court approval on July 7, 2026.
This mainly affects one specific group: people who held a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover non-rewards credit card with an Illinois billing address and used it at specific major retailers between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022. If that’s not you, you likely aren’t eligible for payment, even if you technically belong to one of the other 11 certified classes.
This article breaks down exactly who gets paid, why so many other class members won’t see a check, and what’s happening now that final approval has been granted. One detail worth knowing upfront: attorneys in this case requested nearly $13 million in fees out of the $17.5 million fund.
The Facts
| Case | Moskowitz v. American Express Company, also known as Oliver v. Amex, Case No. 1:19-cv-00566 |
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, before Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis |
| Status | Final approval granted July 7, 2026, claim window closed |
| Fund Size | $17.5 million |
| Est. Per Person | Not yet determined, pro-rata based on valid claims and court-approved deductions |
| Claim Deadline | May 19, 2026 (passed) |
| Administrator | A.B. Data Ltd. |
| Proof Needed | Self-certification on the claim form, with documentation possibly requested later |
Is the American Express antitrust settlement real?
Yes. The case is Moskowitz v. American Express Company, Case No. 1:19-cv-00566, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and overseen by Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis.
The lawsuit alleged American Express included anti-steering provisions in its merchant agreements, preventing merchants from encouraging customers to use lower-fee payment cards. Plaintiffs argued this forced merchants to raise prices broadly, harming even shoppers who never used an Amex card.
The case went to trial, and in August 2025 a jury found Amex liable under Illinois law, ordering the company to pay more than $12 million to one specific class of consumers. The $17.5 million settlement followed that verdict.
Key confirmed facts:
- Case number: 1:19-cv-00566, E.D.N.Y.
- Defendants: American Express Company and American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
- Settlement fund: $17.5 million
- Final approval granted: July 7, 2026
Who actually qualifies for a payment in the Amex antitrust settlement?
Only the Illinois non-rewards credit card class can receive a payment, even though the case originally certified 12 separate consumer classes across multiple states.
This is the single most important correction in this entire article. The lawsuit covered debit card users and non-rewards credit card users across states including Alabama, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, and Utah. But the August 2025 jury verdict found liability under Illinois law specifically, for one class only.
Who qualifies for actual payment:
- Had a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover credit or charge card with no annual fee and no rewards
- The card’s billing address was in Illinois
- You used that card to make an in-person purchase at a Qualifying Merchant in Illinois
- The purchase occurred between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022
Who does NOT qualify for payment, despite being part of a certified class:
- Debit card users in any state, including Illinois
- Non-rewards credit card users in the District of Columbia or Kansas
- Anyone outside the specific Illinois credit card window above
Key Takeaway: Out of 12 certified consumer classes in this case, only the Illinois non-rewards credit card class actually won at trial and can receive settlement money.
How much money will you get from the Amex antitrust settlement?
Not yet determined. The $17.5 million fund will be split on a pro-rata basis among valid Illinois non-rewards credit card claimants, so no fixed per-person amount exists yet.
Your actual payment depends on two things: how many valid claims were ultimately submitted before the May 19, 2026 deadline, and how much of the fund remains after court-approved deductions, including attorney fees and administrative costs.
| Factor | Effect on Payout |
|---|---|
| Total valid claims filed | More claims mean a smaller individual share |
| Attorney fees awarded | Reduces the fund available for claimants |
| Administrative costs | Also deducted before per-person division |
| Appeal delays | Can push payment timing back, not the amount |
Payments will be issued digitally, through email or a mobile text link, with claimants offered a choice of digital payout options on the claim form.
How much are the attorneys getting paid from this settlement?
Attorneys representing the consumer classes in this case requested nearly $13 million in fees and litigation costs, out of the total $17.5 million settlement fund.
That’s a substantial share, roughly 74% of the fund if approved as requested. We could not confirm whether the court ultimately approved that exact figure or a reduced amount as part of the July 7, 2026 final approval.
Reality Check: No legitimate settlement process texts you out of nowhere demanding payment to “release” your Amex settlement check. Filing your claim through the official settlement website was free, and any message asking for money to process or expedite a payment from this case should be treated as a scam.
Is it too late to file a claim in the Amex antitrust settlement?
Yes, for most people. The claim deadline was May 19, 2026, and that window has closed as of this writing.
If you’re an eligible Illinois non-rewards credit card holder who submitted a claim before that date, your claim is still being processed. If you didn’t file by the deadline, you generally cannot claim a payment now, since no late-filing provision has been confirmed in the official settlement materials we reviewed.
What to do if you’re unsure whether you filed:
- Check your email for a claim confirmation from the settlement administrator.
- Contact the official settlement administrator directly to verify your submission.
- Do not respond to unsolicited messages claiming to help you file late for a fee.
- Save any confirmation number you receive for your records.
What if you already filed a claim, what happens next?
If you filed a valid claim by May 19, 2026, your payment is now moving through processing following the July 7, 2026 final approval.
- The settlement administrator finishes verifying valid claims.
- Any documentation requests get resolved, if the administrator needs additional proof.
- The court’s final approval becomes fully effective once any appeal period passes.
- Digital payments get issued via email or mobile text, based on the option you selected.
- If the settlement is appealed, payment timing can be delayed by a year or more.
Key Takeaway: Final approval on July 7, 2026 was a major step forward, but actual payment still depends on the appeal window closing without a challenge.
How to check your Amex antitrust settlement claim status
You can verify your claim status directly through the official settlement channels rather than relying on secondhand information.
- Visit the official settlement website for the case directly.
- Call the settlement administrator’s dedicated phone line for status updates.
- Email the official settlement contact address with your claim details.
- Check your spam folder for any digital payment notifications.
- Confirm your submitted contact information is current, especially for digital payment delivery.
What is the latest update on the Amex antitrust settlement?
The most recent confirmed development is that the court granted final approval to the $17.5 million settlement on July 7, 2026.
That approval followed a hearing held June 17, 2026, and came after both the claim filing deadline of May 19, 2026, and the exclusion and objection deadline of April 29, 2026, had already passed.
Confirmed 2026 timeline:
- February 3, 2026: Court grants preliminary approval of the settlement
- April 29, 2026: Deadline to request exclusion or object passes
- May 19, 2026: Claim filing deadline passes
- June 17, 2026: Final approval hearing held
- July 7, 2026: Court grants final approval
When will Amex antitrust settlement checks be mailed?
Not yet confirmed. No exact payment date has been announced, since distribution depends on the appeal period following final approval.
Settlement payments in cases like this typically go out only after any appeal window closes without a challenge. If someone appeals the July 7, 2026 approval, payment could be delayed by a year or more, based on how appeals in comparable class action settlements typically unfold.
Key Takeaway: Final approval on July 7, 2026 doesn’t guarantee an immediate payout, since any appeal of that approval could delay actual checks by a year or longer.
What happened at the June 17, 2026 final approval hearing?
The court reviewed the proposed $17.5 million settlement at the June 17, 2026 hearing to determine whether it was fair, reasonable, and adequate for the certified class.
That hearing also addressed the attorney fee request of nearly $13 million submitted by class counsel. The court’s decision following that hearing resulted in final approval being granted on July 7, 2026, roughly three weeks later.
Which merchants are part of the Amex antitrust settlement?
Thirty-eight Qualifying Merchants in Illinois are named in the settlement, including several major national retailers.
Confirmed Qualifying Merchants include:
- Walmart and Sam’s Club
- Target
- CVS
- Walgreens
- Home Depot
- Best Buy
- Kroger
- Albertsons
The full list of 38 Qualifying Merchants, including any specific store brands they operate under, is detailed in the official settlement notice. Your purchase needed to occur in person at one of these Illinois locations during the eligible window to count toward a valid claim.
Why did American Express settle this antitrust case?
American Express agreed to settle after a jury already found the company liable under Illinois law and ordered it to pay over $12 million to that one class of consumers.
Rather than pursue further litigation or appeals on that specific verdict, Amex agreed to a broader $17.5 million settlement covering the Illinois non-rewards credit card class, while denying wrongdoing throughout the process, as is standard in most settlement agreements.
Think of it like a company settling after losing one round in court rather than risking a costlier result by fighting on. The settlement resolves the matter without admitting fault.
What did the jury actually decide in August 2025?
In August 2025, a federal jury found that American Express violated Illinois law through its anti-steering rules, awarding just over $12 million to the Illinois non-rewards credit card class specifically.
Critically, the jury did not find in favor of the other 11 certified classes across other states and card types. That’s why this settlement, despite covering a case that once included consumers nationwide, ultimately pays only the one group the jury sided with.
What is Moskowitz v. American Express about?
Moskowitz v. American Express, also referred to as Oliver v. Amex, is a consumer antitrust lawsuit alleging Amex’s merchant agreement rules artificially inflated prices for shoppers, regardless of which card they used.
Twelve named plaintiffs, including David Moskowitz, Ricky Amaro, and Andrew Amend among others, represented consumers across the various certified classes. The case argued that Amex’s anti-steering provisions violated the Sherman Antitrust Act and related state consumer protection laws.
Could Amex still appeal this settlement?
Not yet confirmed whether any appeal has been filed as of this writing, though the possibility remains part of the standard post-approval process.
An appeal, if filed, would not undo the settlement outright but could delay when approved claimants actually receive payment. Comparable class action appeals have historically taken a year or more to resolve.
What happens next
July 7, 2026: Court granted final approval of the $17.5 million settlement.
Ongoing: The standard appeal period following final approval, exact end date not publicly confirmed in reviewed sources.
Expected after appeal period closes: Settlement administrator begins issuing digital payments to approved Illinois non-rewards credit card claimants.
TBD: Confirmed payment issuance date and final per-person payout amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the American Express antitrust settlement real?
Yes, it’s a real settlement in the case Moskowitz v. American Express Company.
The court granted final approval on July 7, 2026.
The case number is 1:19-cv-00566 in the Eastern District of New York.
Who qualifies for a payment from the Amex settlement?
Only the Illinois non-rewards credit card class can receive payment.
You needed a no-fee, non-rewards Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card with an Illinois billing address.
Purchases had to occur at Qualifying Merchants in Illinois between January 2016 and June 2022.
Can I still file a claim in the Amex antitrust settlement?
Generally no, the claim deadline of May 19, 2026 has already passed.
No confirmed late-filing option exists in the official settlement materials reviewed.
Contact the settlement administrator directly if you believe you filed before the deadline.
How much will I get from the Amex antitrust settlement?
No fixed amount exists yet, since payments are pro-rata based on valid claims.
The $17.5 million fund gets divided after attorney fees and costs are deducted.
Attorneys requested nearly $13 million in fees from that total fund.
When will Amex settlement checks be mailed?
No confirmed payment date exists yet, since the appeal window remains a factor.
Payments typically follow only after any appeal of final approval is resolved.
Check the official settlement website for updates on payment timing.
Why don’t debit card users get paid in this settlement?
The August 2025 jury verdict only found liability for the Illinois non-rewards credit card class.
Debit card users and other credit card classes were part of the case but did not win at trial.
Their claims are still being released under the settlement, without a payment.
What was American Express accused of in this case?
Amex was accused of using anti-steering rules in merchant agreements.
These rules allegedly prevented merchants from encouraging customers to use lower-fee cards.
Plaintiffs argued this raised prices broadly, even for non-Amex cardholders.
If you filed a valid Illinois non-rewards credit card claim before May 19, 2026, keep an eye on your email and text messages for a digital payment notice. If you’re unsure about your claim status, contact the official settlement administrator directly rather than a third-party site.
The fact to remember: the $17.5 million American Express antitrust settlement received final court approval on July 7, 2026, but only the Illinois non-rewards credit card class will actually get paid.
