Nearly seven years after Apple launched the Apple Card, Samsung is finally answering with a US credit card of its own. The Galaxy Card lands July 22, issued by Barclays on the Visa network, and it beats Apple on cashback in every category.
Cardholders earn 5% back on Samsung.com and in-store Samsung purchases, 3% on transactions made through Samsung Wallet, 2% on streaming subscriptions (Netflix, Disney+, Spotify), and 1% on everything else. Apple Card offers 3% on Apple purchases, 2% on Apple Pay, and 1% elsewhere. The Galaxy Card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
Samsung is also dangling a $200 sign-up bonus after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days, plus a 20% discount on its VIP Advantage membership, which covers extended device protection and specialized support. The card lives inside Samsung Wallet. Barclays calls it the bank's first digital wallet-native credit card, with no separate banking app.
After approval, it is available for immediate use in the wallet. A black metal physical card arrives later, an inverted visual play on Apple's white titanium card.
But there is a catch baked into the rewards structure. The 3% Samsung Wallet rate is only accessible on Samsung phones and watches.
Switch to another brand and that perk disappears. Anyone can still use the physical card (it is not limited to Samsung device owners), but account management shifts to a Barclays web portal and the top rewards vanish.
Apple faces the same problem in reverse: iPhone owners who switch to Android keep their physical Apple Card but lose Apple Wallet access and the 3% daily cash perk on Apple purchases. The timing is deliberate. Samsung announced the card two days before its second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year, where it is expected to unveil new foldables and smartwatches.
Applications open July 22 both online and in Samsung retail stores, right alongside whatever hardware Samsung shows off.
Brian Riley, director of Credit Advisory Services at Javelin Strategy & Research, told WIRED the card is about locking in loyalty.
"Entering the space is important for Samsung to increase brand presence and loyalty," Riley said.
Apple's own card situation remains in flux. Goldman Sachs is exiting as Apple Card issuer, with JPMorgan Chase taking over in a transition that runs through 2027.
Samsung, meanwhile, steps in with a clean start and the highest cashback rate on brand purchases in the smartphone credit card game.
