Samsung Electronics America said on Wednesday evening, October 7, 2026, that eligible Galaxy users in the US will be able to hold and send USDC, a US dollar stablecoin, in Samsung Wallet from the last week of October. The feature will reach 82 million US Galaxy devices at launch. Users will be able to send USDC to compatible crypto wallets around the world, and money to eligible bank accounts in more than 60 countries, paid out in local currency. The releases went out around 8 p.m. ET, or 2 a.m. on October 8 in Paris.
The stablecoin sits alongside cards, IDs, tickets, and keys, with no separate crypto app to install and no private keys to manage. Samsung itself stays out of the money flow: it says it “is not a bank, money transmitter, or digital asset custodian and does not hold customer funds,” and that regulated partners provide accounts, custody, and money movement. “We’re bringing USDC transfers into Samsung Wallet so eligible Galaxy users can get started without installing another app or managing private keys themselves,” said Woncheol Chai, head of Samsung’s digital wallet team.
Bastion holds the license, Coinbase holds the coins
Bastion said Samsung selected it as “the licensed stablecoin custodian and an infrastructure partner” for the feature, within a service delivered with other partners. Bastion will keep the ledger of each user’s balance and execute USDC transfers on blockchain networks. It will verify and screen every user’s identity, screen blockchain addresses, and monitor transactions for fraud, money laundering, and sanctions exposure. For bank payouts, it will convert the USDC and route each one through local regulated partners. Every transfer must start from a registered device, whose signature Bastion checks, and be approved with the user’s biometrics.
| Partner | Role |
|---|---|
| Samsung | App and device; holds no customer funds |
| Bastion | Licensed custodian and money transmission partner: ledger, identity checks, screening, bank payouts, authorization |
| Coinbase | USDC sub-custodian for Bastion, via Coinbase Prime Vault |
| Solana, Sui | Blockchain networks for USDC transfers |
Coinbase, Bastion’s official USDC sub-custodian, will safeguard all USDC in Samsung Wallet through Coinbase Prime Vault, and USDC will appear as the default dollar stablecoin when users select “Buy Stablecoin.” Samsung calls the launch the next chapter of its work with Coinbase, which already added Samsung Pay to the Coinbase app and offers Coinbase One benefits through Samsung Wallet.
Solana and Sui carry the transfers
Solana and Sui provide the blockchain networks. The Solana Foundation said Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay will support stablecoins on Solana, with integrated fiat on- and off-ramps, and that its network has processed more than $5.25 trillion in stablecoin volume in 2026. The Sui Foundation said USDC is the only supported asset at launch and its SUI token is not supported. Sui’s gasless transfers, live since May 2026, let users send USDC without paying a network fee.
Free between wallets, fees on bank payouts
Samsung charges no fee for USDC sent to external wallets, though recipients’ wallet providers or exchanges may charge their own, and speed depends on network conditions. Bank payouts carry fees that vary by destination country and amount, shown in the app with an estimated delivery time before the sender confirms. Transfers to sanctioned jurisdictions are prohibited. Users must be US residents aged 18 or older, with a Samsung Account and Android 13 or higher, and must pass identity verification and set up biometric authentication.
Online and in-store payments are not part of the launch. Samsung says future capabilities “may include” paying with stablecoins online or by tapping a Galaxy device in store, “followed by potential expansion into additional markets in line with regulatory developments in each country.” Bastion’s release says those capabilities “will include” both.
