Samsung announced on July 22 at Galaxy Unpacked in London that Samsung Wallet will add native stablecoin support. A mockup displayed Circle's USDC, though Samsung did not confirm Circle as a partner or provide a launch date. The move builds on Samsung's crypto history: a 2019 Knox-based wallet, 2021 hardware wallet support, and an October 2025 Coinbase integration serving 75 million U.S. Galaxy owners. The announcement came as the global stablecoin supply nears $310 billion under the year-old GENIUS Act, making Samsung one of the first major smartphone brands to integrate native stablecoin functionality alongside payment cards and IDs.
Samsung Built Crypto Storage Into Galaxy Phones Since 2019
Samsung introduced crypto storage in Galaxy phones in 2019 through Knox, a hardware-isolated vault unlocked by PIN or fingerprint, supporting Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron, and Stellar. In 2021, the company enabled Galaxy owners to link hardware wallets like the Ledger Nano S directly to the Knox vault. Last October, Samsung expanded a Coinbase partnership that placed crypto purchases inside Samsung Wallet for 75 million U.S. Galaxy users. Drew Blackard, Samsung's senior vice president of mobile product management, called Samsung Wallet "a trusted tool to millions of Galaxy users" when announcing the Coinbase integration.
Lee Dinham, Samsung's product manager, said on stage at Galaxy Unpacked that "Samsung Wallet will expand beyond cash and savings. It will embrace new forms of digital value, including stablecoins." Dinham added the feature would make Samsung "one of the first major mobile brands to bring native stablecoins to a smartphone, enabling fast and trusted digital value transfers."
Samsung Did Not Disclose Custodial Model or Blockchain Details
Samsung has not specified whether the stablecoin feature will operate as custodial—where Samsung or a third party holds users' funds—or non-custodial, where users control private keys. The company also did not name the blockchain network the tokens would run on. Stablecoins are tokens designed to maintain a steady value, typically $1, backed one-to-one by cash or short-term government debt. The mockup shown at the event featured Circle's USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market value, without confirming Circle's involvement.
Samsung Launched Galaxy Card at Same Event
The stablecoin announcement coincided with the unveiling of the Galaxy Card, Samsung's first credit card in the United States. Issued by Barclays on the Visa network, the card offers 5% cash back on Samsung purchases and 3% on Samsung Wallet transactions. Kirk Stuart from Visa stated the card reflects how "consumers expect payments to be embedded into the digital experiences they use every day." Samsung described the broader initiative as a "secured payments and rewards experience."
FAQ
What did Samsung announce about stablecoins on July 22?
Samsung announced at Galaxy Unpacked in London on July 22 that Samsung Wallet will add native stablecoin support. The company showed a mockup with Circle's USDC but did not confirm Circle as a partner or provide a launch date.
How long has Samsung supported cryptocurrency in Galaxy phones?
Samsung introduced crypto storage in Galaxy phones in 2019 through Knox, a hardware-isolated vault. In 2021, Samsung added support for hardware wallets like the Ledger Nano S. In October 2025, Samsung integrated Coinbase into Samsung Wallet, reaching 75 million U.S. Galaxy owners.
What is the Galaxy Card that Samsung launched?
The Galaxy Card is Samsung's first credit card in the United States, issued by Barclays on the Visa network. It offers 5% cash back on Samsung purchases and 3% on Samsung Wallet transactions. Samsung announced the card at the same Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22.
