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Samsung sets October launch for Galaxy USDC transfers

Samsung plans USDC transfers for 82 million compatible US Galaxy devices, linking crypto wallet sends with local-currency bank payouts in more than 60 countries.

By The Coin Wire Editorial4 min read

Samsung sets October launch for Galaxy USDC transfers

Samsung Electronics America plans to add USDC transfers to Samsung Wallet in the last week of October, bringing a cross-border payment feature to eligible users of 82 million compatible U.S. Galaxy devices. The company’s October 7 announcement says users will be able to send USDC to compatible crypto wallets abroad or send money to eligible bank accounts in more than 60 countries, where recipients may receive local currency.

The change puts stablecoin transfers inside an app already used for cards and IDs, so users will not need a separate crypto app or to manage private keys themselves. Samsung says eligible users must be U.S. residents aged 18 or older, have a Samsung account and a compatible Galaxy device running Android 13 or later, and complete identity verification and biometric setup. The 82 million figure counts compatible devices, not confirmed users.

How will Wallet move USDC across borders?

Samsung says the service will support USDC first, with users able to send it to compatible wallets or arrange a payout to a qualifying bank account. The bank recipient does not need a crypto wallet: funds are delivered in local currency. Samsung says transfers to external wallets carry no Samsung fee, though a receiving wallet or exchange may charge one. Bank transfer fees vary by country and amount, and the app is to show fees and estimated delivery times before confirmation.

The service relies on partners for the financial and technical infrastructure. Samsung names Bastion as the provider of the cross-border payment framework and says Bastion will work with Coinbase, which will safeguard USDC through Coinbase Prime Vault. Samsung also says separate partners, including Solana and Sui, will provide infrastructure and blockchain support. In a CoinDesk report on the launch, both networks are identified as supporting the service. Samsung says it will not hold customer funds or act as the bank, money transmitter or digital-asset custodian.

What changes compared with Samsung’s existing payment options?

Samsung Wallet already connects users to Coinbase: Samsung Pay can be used in the Coinbase app, and eligible users can access Coinbase One benefits through Wallet. The new feature moves the transfer itself into Samsung’s wallet experience. It also adds a crypto route alongside conventional card-based transfers: in 2025, Samsung announced Tap to Transfer, which lets U.S. users send money from a stored debit card to friends’ and family members’ bank accounts.

The routes serve different needs. USDC can reach compatible crypto wallets internationally, while bank payouts let recipients receive local currency without opening one. But the no-fee claim is limited to Samsung’s charge for wallet-to-wallet transfers. Bank transfers carry fees, and recipient providers may add charges. For bank payouts, eligibility and delivery times depend on destination and bank. The service also begins in the U.S.; Samsung says expansion will depend on regulation in each market.

What should users watch before launch?

The announced scale is a potential distribution channel, not evidence that 82 million people will use the service. The first signals will be which countries and banks appear in the app, the fees and delivery estimates shown at checkout, and whether compatible external wallets support the same networks Samsung enables. Samsung also says registered Galaxy devices will require biometric authentication to initiate transfers, making the rollout’s practical reach depend on account and identity checks as well as device compatibility.

Samsung says future versions may add online and in-store stablecoin payments, but those are possibilities, not part of the October launch announcement. For now, the test is narrower: whether users can move dollar-denominated USDC from a familiar phone wallet to overseas crypto wallets or local bank accounts, and what that convenience costs in practice.

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