Samsung Electronics announced that eligible Galaxy smartphone owners in the United States will soon gain access to cross-border USDC transfers through Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay. The feature, scheduled for release in the last week of October, will cover approximately 82 million Galaxy devices in the country. Transfers will use the Solana blockchain network to enable fast and cost-effective movement of USDC, a popular US dollar-pegged stablecoin.
USDC Payments Integrated into Samsung Wallet
The new capability is built directly into the Samsung Wallet app, and neither a separate cryptocurrency application nor management of private keys is required. Users can deposit or withdraw US dollars and seamlessly convert between USDC and fiat currency within the app, making international money transfers as easy as sending funds domestically.
Users will be able to send USDC to compatible wallets or to eligible bank accounts in more than 60 countries, where recipients will receive the funds in their local currency. Samsung stated that it will not charge fees for sending transfers, although recipient wallets or exchanges may apply their own fees and the speed of transfers may vary depending on network conditions.
The solution utilizes Solana and Sui blockchain infrastructure, ensuring fast settlement. Bastion, a US-licensed stablecoin custodian, also supports the backend operations of this cross-border payment feature.
Mini dictionary: Bastion is a licensed US-based digital asset custodian specializing in the secure holding and management of stablecoins.
Sending money abroad should feel as convenient as using the wallet already on your phone, stated Woncheol Chai, executive vice president and head of the digital wallet team at Samsung Electronics. Chai pointed out that eligible users can access the service without installing another app or managing their private keys.
Expanding Partnership with Coinbase
The newly launched service represents an extension of Samsung’s partnership with Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and custody provider based in the US. In this setup, Coinbase Prime handles custody of the USDC within Samsung Wallet, ensuring security and compliance for users.
Alec Lovett, head of infrastructure products at Coinbase, described the launch as a distribution milestone for USDC, highlighting Samsung’s broad device reach and its potential to drive everyday stablecoin use.
Solana Foundation president Lily Liu remarked that this feature brings digital dollars into daily life for millions of users. She noted that widespread adoption of stablecoins will make them a regular means for moving money, not just a cryptocurrency product.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Available Devices | 82 million US Galaxy smartphones |
| Launch Date | Last week of October |
| Blockchain Infrastructure | Solana and Sui |
| Custody Provider | Coinbase Prime |
| Destination Countries | 60+ |
| Fee by Samsung | No fee |
Potential for Future Expansion
Samsung indicated that it intends to expand the availability of cross-border stablecoin transfers to additional markets in the future, depending on local regulatory conditions. The company views this as the next chapter in its focus on simplifying global transactions for Galaxy users.
