Samsung Steps Into US Credit Cards With the Galaxy Card, Competing Directly with the Apple Card

Samsung has entered the US credit card market with the Galaxy Card, its first such product in the country. The card comes from a partnership with Barclays US Consumer Bank and runs on the Visa network. Applications for early-access customers opened July 21, while the public can apply starting July 22 online or at any Samsung retail store.

This new offering comes in two forms: a virtual card that appears in Samsung Wallet as soon as you receive approval, and a sleek black metal counterpart with the Samsung emblem that will be delivered to you later. Once inside the wallet, it is stored alongside all of your other payment cards, digital IDs, passes, and keys, all of which are protected by Samsung’s Knox security. From there, you can track your spending, get rewards, and remain organized without ever leaving the Samsung Wallet app on a compatible Galaxy phone.

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Cash rewards are the main attraction here, and they apply to purchases made directly from Samsung, whether online at Samsung.com, in one of their experience stores, via the Shop app, the Galaxy Store, Care+, or any linked service, since they all earn you 5%. Put the card in your Samsung Wallet, and you’re looking at 3 percent for those purchases. Streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify pay you 2 percent, while everything else earns you 1 percent.

New sign-ups who spend $2000 during the first three months of creating an account will receive a $200 cash rewards bonus. If you pay for or renew a Samsung VIP Advantage membership with the Galaxy Card, you’ll get a 20% discount (on top of the 5% cash rewards rate). This card comes with no annual fee, which is a relief for some.

Barclays is presenting the Galaxy Card as the first digital wallet credit card of its sort, which means that all transactions take place within Samsung Wallet rather than a separate banking app. Visa acceptance takes care of the rest, so you know it’ll work anywhere Visa does. You can also use it to finance a Galaxy device purchased straight from Samsung, allowing you to pay for new phones, tablets, and other items over time.

In terms of incentives, this appears to be a better offer than the Apple Card, especially if you spend a lot of money on Samsung products or use Samsung Wallet on a frequent basis. Apple presently offers 3% on Apple purchases and certain partners, 2% on Apple Pay transactions, and 1% on everything else. Samsung’s arrangement focuses more on their platform, although it also offers daily return on streaming and general purchases.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s clear that Samsung wants to make its handsets, wallet software, and the money consumers spend every day inextricably intertwined. For those who already own a few Samsung products, the increasing benefits on direct Samsung purchases and Samsung Wallet spending are a compelling reason to retain your purchasing habits within the Samsung ecosystem. On July 22, the program became available to the general public, giving anyone in the United States a simple online option to enter and check if the card fits their shopping habits.