At the Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22, Samsung outlined its expansion plan for Samsung Wallet: stabilizing cryptocurrency functionality will be pre-installed on over 800 million smartphones, including fiat-backed savings and payment accounts.
However, this “800 million” requires a footnote—multiple media outlets have verified that this figure represents Samsung’s target for the number of devices equipped with Galaxy AI by the end of 2026, not the current number of Samsung Wallet users, nor the number of devices that will actually be able to access the stablecoin feature. Samsung did not disclose the issuer, public blockchain, or custody model at the launch, nor did it reveal how many users are currently using its crypto features. Joseph Goh, Head of Asia Pacific at crypto investment bank Areta, later assessed: this step alone is sufficient to position Samsung as a major distributor of stablecoins like USDC.
What truly deserves closer attention is another product unveiled at the event—the Galaxy Card, Samsung’s first credit card launched in the U.S., developed in partnership with Barclays and Visa, offering 5% cash back on purchases made through Samsung’s own store. While one side featured a stablecoin demo with no details or timeline, the other presented a physically available card. Samsung’s real target this time is the shared product form these two point to: a cryptocurrency payment card, commonly known as a U-card.
Half has been sold, half is still a demo Users can hold stablecoins and use them directly to make purchases without first converting them to fiat currency, while also earning a bit of interest when idle—this is precisely the core strength of U-card products like the Coinbase Card and Crypto.com Visa Card. The UI demonstrated by Samsung, featuring "stablecoin balance + sending/receiving + funding," essentially integrates this functionality directly into its wallet.
Samsung has not encountered this situation before. In October 2025, Samsung partnered with Coinbase to allow U.S. Galaxy users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies directly within their wallet, with Coinbase acting as the licensed custodian and clearinghouse, while Samsung merely provided its own interface as the entry point. This structure is likely to be replicated in this stablecoin demonstration: since Samsung does not hold a license, the stablecoin accounts will almost certainly still rely on a licensed third-party institution to handle compliance and clearing.
The Galaxy Card, being launched alongside this, completes the other half of the puzzle: the card is already usable, while the stablecoin account is still in demonstration mode. If, in the future, the two are integrated—allowing stablecoins in the account to be directly linked to Galaxy Card spending—Samsung would effectively turn "getting a U Card" into a default feature that comes with buying a phone.
Those who should really be worried are the card sellers. In this game, the three parties whose interests have truly shifted are:
Samsung: Made "card" a default feature on smartphones. Samsung holds not only massive installed base but also its equity stake in Dunamu, acquired in May, a clearly stated collaboration direction toward "stablecoin infrastructure" during its late-July earnings call, and an existing partnership with Coinbase. Combined, these assets enable Samsung to embed what was once a separately applied-for "consumer card" directly into the operating system—Galaxy Card is already the first tangible proof.
U Card issuer: The independent value is being compressed. Whether issued by exchanges themselves or third-party card providers, the core selling point has always been "helping users turn stablecoins into spendable money." Samsung has essentially pre-installed this functionality for free into its hardware—making it a naturally more attractive option for users, as it requires no additional application or download, unlike a separate card that needs to be obtained independently. This doesn’t eliminate the U Card category; rather, it transforms it into a built-in feature of the phone, reducing the rationale for standalone card products.
Exchanges and issuers: Their roles remain unchanged, but their visibility will diminish. Entities like Coinbase and Circle will likely still handle underlying functions such as custody, settlement, and compliance, and their business structures won’t be overturned. However, users will increasingly feel unaware of their presence—just as few people today care about the underlying payment network behind their credit card, future users may similarly not care which institution underlies their stablecoin account on their phone. The importance of infrastructure hasn’t decreased, but its visibility will continue to fade.
Spending with stablecoins was once an exclusive practice for a small group of crypto users—requiring app downloads, KYC procedures, and card issuance, with barriers that kept most people out. Samsung aims to turn this process into a built-in, default feature on smartphones, eliminating the need for you to actively understand what a "U Card" is. What’s truly being rewritten is the very concept of "spending with stablecoins"—for the first time, it could become an option with no additional learning curve, and those crossing this threshold may be ordinary people around you who’ve never heard of a U Card but use Galaxy phones every day.
Samsung presented half of what’s already available—the Galaxy Card—and half a mockup on stage. Whether the stablecoin account will truly become standard on these 800 million phones, as described in the presentation, remains uncertain—there is no issuer, no public blockchain, and no timeline; no one can provide a definitive answer.
The day when stablecoin functionality is fully implemented may mark the end of needing a separate card to spend your stablecoins.
The content of this article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice. The market carries risks; investments should be made with caution.