Key facts
- Samsung said the feature reaches about 82 million compatible Galaxy devices in the US.
- Bastion is the licensed stablecoin custodian; Coinbase safeguards USDC as sub-custodian via Coinbase Prime Vault.
- Samsung's disclosures state the account is a crypto wallet, not a bank account.
- Credit card top-ups, including through Samsung Pay, carry a 4% fee; bank and debit card withdrawals also cost a fee.
- New users making a first top-up of $50 or more can receive $25 in USDC.
- The service requires Android 13 or later, is open to US residents 18 and older, and excludes New York.
Samsung launched stablecoin accounts in Samsung Wallet on November 5, 2026, for eligible US Galaxy users, letting them buy, hold, send and receive Circle's USDC on the Solana blockchain without a separate crypto app or private keys. Samsung said the feature reaches about 82 million compatible Galaxy devices in the US.
The product is built with Bastion, a licensed stablecoin custodian and infrastructure provider, and Coinbase, which safeguards the USDC as Bastion's sub-custodian through its Coinbase Prime Vault. Samsung's disclosures state the account is a crypto wallet, not a bank account.
Users can send USDC to other Samsung Wallet users in the US and to compatible outside crypto wallets with no Samsung transfer fee, though other providers may charge one. They can also send money to qualifying bank accounts in more than 60 countries, where recipients may receive local currency, with fees that vary by destination.
Credit card top-ups, including through Samsung Pay, carry a 4% fee, and withdrawals to a bank account or debit card also come with a fee. New users who make a first top-up of $50 or more can receive $25 in USDC. The service requires Android 13 or later and is open to US residents 18 and older, except those in New York.
Samsung first announced the feature on October 7, when it tapped Solana for USDC transfers, and teased plans over the summer. "Stablecoins have the potential to make moving money around the world faster and easier, and we want Galaxy users to be able to take advantage of that without having to navigate the complexity of traditional crypto tools," said Woncheol Chai, who leads the digital wallet team in Samsung's mobile business. Lily Liu, president of the Solana Foundation, said stablecoins had proved the technology works but lacked a way to reach the mainstream.
Samsung said it expects to explore online and in-store stablecoin payments and to expand to additional markets, subject to local regulation.