Samsung opened applications for the Samsung Galaxy Card, its first credit card in the US, on July 22, 2026. Samsung supplies the brand and the customer experience, Barclays issues the card, and it runs on the Visa network. The card pays cash rewards on everyday spending, with the highest rates reserved for Samsung purchases and Samsung Wallet payments, a structure designed to keep Galaxy owners inside the company’s wallet app.
No annual fee, in virtual and metal versions
Barclays US Consumer Bank is the issuer. The card comes in two formats: a virtual card provisioned instantly to Samsung Wallet, and a premium metal card with a Samsung logo. It carries no annual fee. Consumers can apply online at Samsung.com, including while shopping in Samsung’s US retail stores.
Rewards are tiered by how close a purchase sits to Samsung: the more it involves the brand and its wallet, the higher the rate.
| Spending category | Cash rewards |
|---|---|
| Purchases made directly from Samsung (online or in store) | 5% |
| Purchases made with Samsung Wallet | 3% |
| Eligible streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Spotify) | 2% |
| All other purchases | 1% |
New cardholders can earn a $200 bonus in cash rewards after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days. Cardholders also get 20% off a Samsung VIP Advantage membership bought or renewed with the card.
A standard co-brand split
The Galaxy Card follows the classic co-branded card model. A non-bank brand, here an electronics maker, teams up with a licensed issuer. The brand brings its user base, its distribution, and its loyalty program. The bank brings the license, credit risk management, and compliance. The network provides the acceptance rails. Each takes a share of the revenue.
- Samsung: the brand, the Samsung Wallet experience, the rewards program, and distribution.
- Barclays: card issuing, credit underwriting and servicing, and regulatory compliance.
- Visa: global acceptance and transaction security.
Samsung wants more reasons to stay in its wallet
For Samsung, the card is a retention play. The more cards, credentials, and digital keys a user keeps in Samsung Wallet, the fewer reasons that user has to leave the Galaxy ecosystem. “Samsung Galaxy Card is part of our ongoing vision for Samsung Wallet to deliver more connected and rewarding everyday experiences,” said Woncheol Chai, who heads the Digital Wallet Team in Samsung Electronics’ mobile business.
For Barclays, the deal extends a growth strategy built on co-branded cards for large consumer brands. “Partnering with Samsung is a strong example of Barclays’ partner-first strategy and the innovation we’re bringing to the market with some of the world’s most recognized brands,” said Denny Nealon, CEO of Barclays US Consumer Bank.
Device makers move into credit distribution
The launch is another step in embedded finance: payments are no longer a separate service but a feature of the devices and apps people already use. The mobile wallet now holds cards, tickets, IDs, and digital keys, and a co-branded credit card is a natural next step.
European issuers should watch closely. If the device plus wallet plus co-branded card model takes hold, phone makers and large platforms become credit distributors in their own right, and banks are left as issuers behind the scenes. The open question is whether Samsung can turn a large installed base of devices into a durable payments program.