Starting in the last week of October, eligible US Galaxy users can buy USDC inside Samsung Wallet and send it to crypto wallets or to bank accounts in more than 60 countries, with no separate crypto app needed.
Samsung Electronics America announced the feature on 7 October. Samsung says about 82 million Galaxy devices in the US are compatible with Samsung Wallet.
USDC is the first stablecoin supported. Inside the app, users tap “Buy Stablecoin,” where USDC shows up as the default dollar stablecoin.
Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of the Digital Wallet Team at Samsung’s Mobile eXperience business, said: “Sending money abroad should feel as convenient as using the wallet already on your phone.”
Who can use it
The feature is US-only at launch. To use it, a person needs:
- To be a US resident aged 18 or older
- A Samsung Account
- A Samsung Wallet-compatible Galaxy device running Android 13 or later
- To complete identity verification and set up biometric authentication on that device
Every transfer has to be approved with biometrics on the registered device.
How the transfers work
Users can send USDC in 2 ways.
To a crypto wallet or exchange. USDC can go to compatible third-party wallets or exchange accounts on supported blockchain networks. Samsung doesn’t charge for these transfers, though the receiving wallet or exchange may charge its own fee.
To a bank account. Users can send money to qualifying bank accounts in more than 60 countries, and the recipient gets local currency. The person on the other end doesn’t need a crypto wallet. Fees for bank transfers depend on the destination and amount, and the app shows the fee and estimated delivery time before the sender confirms.
Transfers to sanctioned jurisdictions are blocked. The full list of supported countries is in the Samsung Wallet app.
Chai described the setup this way: “We’re bringing USDC transfers into Samsung Wallet so eligible Galaxy users can get started without installing another app.”
The companies behind it
Samsung doesn’t hold the money. Its press release says: “Samsung is not a bank, money transmitter, or digital asset custodian and does not hold customer funds.”
The infrastructure is split across several partners:
- Bastion, a licensed stablecoin custodian overseen by US financial regulators, runs the cross-border payment framework.
- Coinbase is Bastion’s sub-custodian and holds all USDC in Samsung Wallet through Coinbase Prime Vault.
- Solana and Sui are named as blockchain network partners. Samsung hasn’t said which transfers run on which chain.
- Borderless.xyz handles payouts to bank accounts across the 60+ countries, according to Cointelegraph and American Banker.
Users don’t manage private keys or deal with the blockchain directly.
Borderless.xyz CEO Kevin Lehtiniitty told Cointelegraph: “Mass adoption was never going to come from people downloading crypto apps. It comes from the phone already in your pocket.” Speaking to American Banker about people sending money to family abroad, he said: “They can just send money home.”
What Solana says about the deal
The Solana Foundation published its own announcement on 7 October, saying Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay will support stablecoins on Solana.
According to the foundation, stablecoin supply on Solana is up nearly 20% year over year, and the network has processed more than $5.25T in stablecoin volume so far in 2026. PayPal and Western Union already use Solana for stablecoin activity.
How Samsung got here
Samsung first said it planned to bring stablecoins to Samsung Wallet at Galaxy Unpacked in July 2026. At the time, it gave no details on partners or timing.
Other phone and payment companies are moving in the same direction. Mesh, an Apple Pay partner, lets payers use crypto while merchants settle in USDC and other stablecoins. Google leads an agentic commerce protocol that supports stablecoins alongside cards and bank transfers.
What comes next
Samsung says future features may include:
- Paying with stablecoins online
- Tapping an eligible Galaxy device to pay in stores with stablecoins
Expansion beyond the US will depend on regulation in each country. The US launch is set for the last week of October 2026.
